Wrap the Moon Around Us
by soloscribe
Summary: Picks up a month after "I Really Hate You," Kibbs fic. Changes are coming, are Kate & Gibbs ready? Nothing is ever simple. updated with an extra long ch18.
1. Chapter 1

_Well, I can't seem to get away from Kibbs. As always, who knows how long this series will last, but eventually after enough of this series or the string of series(es), we'll have a Gibblet. I own nothing. Enjoy…_

Special Agent Gibbs let himself in, careful to lock the door behind him. "Katie?" he called, loudly enough to announce himself if she was awake (and armed) and quietly enough not to wake her if she'd drifted off.

He could smell the familiar scent of logs burning in the fireplace, and he made his way to the adjoining living room. It had become Kate's sanctuary, where she preferred to relax in the evenings if she beat him home. Her book collection filled out the built in shelves, and her DVDs lined a lower shelf.

Tonight she was curled up on the couch, a soft blanket draped lightly over her. He strongly suspected her Sig was under the cushion where her head rested. The lights were off, only the fire casting its soft orange glow around the room. On the coffee table he saw her Palm Pilot and her sketchbook.

Lifting it carefully so as not to wake her, Gibbs caught sight of her latest work in progress. It was a sketch of him, working on his boat. She had chosen to draw him from the back, shirtless. Strong, even lines depicted his shoulders and the muscles of his upper arm. Smirking, he flipped the cover over the page. Oh, he'd have to tease her about that later.

Gibbs sat on the edge of the coffee table and leaned forward. He carefully brushed back a stray lock of hair and straightened out the blanket. Sharp blue eyes traced the curve of his wife's belly, and he let his hand stray, resting lightly against the warm curve.

It had taken a while for Kate's body to give way to her pregnancy. She had always been so slender, her stomach almost concave. When they were in the middle of longer cases, he'd often slipped her a granola or protein bar. It was to be expected in their line of work—stress, irregular hours, and demanding work didn't give them much time to put on or keep on weight. Her doctor had delicately suggested that she try to gain a little extra weight with this pregnancy.

His thumb rubbed lightly against her. He didn't care what she weighed; only that she was healthy. She didn't like having to play _Will It Fit?_ while getting dressed each morning, but he couldn't keep from touching the curve, at least when they were alone. _Beautiful._

"When did you get in?" came the groggy voice, thick with sleep.

Gibbs gave her belly another light stroke, easing the blanket around her when she shivered. "Few minutes ago," he replied, voice hushed and soothing. "Feeling ok?"

"Mmmm," she hummed in a way that could go either direction, amber eyes narrow slits, blinking in the dim light.

His other hand lifted, stroking back her hair again and letting it linger on her forehead. McGee had come down with a cold the day before and was sent home only to show up again this morning. Gibbs had growled at his youngest agent, giving him a death glare. It took the probie half the morning of sniffling and coughing and frantically using hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes before he took the hint and went home. After Gibbs had ordered DiNozzo to drive him home, telling McGee there would be hell to pay if Kate came down with it.

"Katie?"

"Comfy," she answered, pressing slightly into his touch, her forehead warm enough to account for the blanket and fire but not warm enough to have a fever.

He pressed a soft kiss to her brow. "I'm going down for a while, you okay up here?"

She nodded, gave another yawn and curled back into her little nest on the couch.

NCIS * NCIS * NCIS * NCIS * NCIS

"Hey," Kate called softly, coming into the kitchen on Sunday morning. She toyed with the draw string to her sweat pants, a hoodie and trainers completing her outfit.

Gibbs gave her a smile before turning and pulling down a water bottle. He filled it and offered it. "I'm ducking out for a run."

Her brow wrinkled. Of course he was going on a run, which was exactly why she was up, too. He did it often in the morning, and in the past they often ran together. "Mind slowing down the pace today?"

Icy blue eyes watched her closely, weighing. "No, but you're sure you're up to it?"

She nodded confidently, even though she knew it would mean an afternoon nap. Still, she's worked long and hard to get in shape, and she wasn't going to let nine months and recovery mean losing all of her endurance and flexibility. Besides, all of her pregnancy books said that moderate exercise was good. Kate had no plans to run marathons, but a light jog… "Definitely."

Gibbs finished sipping his own coffee, tugging on a hoodie as he nodded toward her Sig and its holster. "No back up?"

She couldn't help but stiffen at the comment, bottom lip pouting slightly. "It doesn't fit around my calf," came her answer, teeth clenched.

He didn't say a word, but the corner of his mouth twitched slightly, and she turned to go back upstairs when he caught her arm gently. "Run?" he asked, doing his best not to smile again.

With a sigh she nodded. "Okay… jog time," she agreed.

"We can get you a new calf hostler, Kate," he reminded her gently as they slipped out the front door and locked it behind them.

"I know… I just didn't think about it. Besides," she sighed, looking down and then back up at him. "At some point it will be impossible to bend over and reach a gun on my calf."

"Probably," he agreed, earning a punch to his shoulder and his wife starting off at a quick pace, leaving him behind for the first half block.


	2. Chapter 2

Gibbs was on his third circuit around the park when he began to slow. The sky was clouding up, and while the day was slowly progressing, it was going to be one of those days when the temperature dropped as the day passed. If the darkening sky didn't confirm the weather report for snow, his knee definitely did. It was starting to ache, making him feel irritated that it was going to slow him down for the rest of the day. Maybe for the week, if the forecast turned out to be right.

He tugged his hoodie a little tighter and glanced south to confirm that Kate was still making her way around the park at a walk. Originally, she hadn't wanted to wear her coat at all, but he knew she was glad to have it now. One more lap, and they were headed back. Even a jarhead could figure out the cold was only getting worse. Time to dig in for the day. Not that he minded digging in with his wife, not by a long shot.

By the next quarter mile, his pace was slowing, and he gave into it. Gibbs had long since realized that he didn't have anything to prove. There was no need to impress others with his stamina or speed, and even if he felt that need … everyone else apparently had the sense to stay inside and sleep today. Traffic on the street was light, but pedestrian traffic in the part was non-existent.

As he lapped her, he slowed a moment, assessing. "You good?"

When they had finished their first circuit, her breath was short. Once upon a time, she could easily last 5 or 6 miles, but her balance was off these days, and her stamina was one of the first signs of her pregnancy. Kate nodded, "yeah."

"Last lap," he called, giving her one last look over his shoulder before picking up the pace again.

The squeal of tires and sound of an engine revving caught his attention, urging him to round the nearby copse of trees just in time to see a small sedan whip around the corner, swinging wide and quickly followed by an SUV. Before he could reach the sidewalk, the SUV surged forward, bumper connecting with the sedan and ramming it toward the far side of the street.

Behind the wheel of the sedan, he saw the woman panicking, and despite his shout of warning, she overcorrected anyway. With a loud crunch, the car connected with a mailbox and came to a stop, engine smoking harmlessly as the SUV floored it and whipped around another corner, out of sight. _Virginia TKO976_, he repeated the tag to himself as he stowed his gun that he had grabbed out of reflex and finished crossing the street. "Kate, call 911!"

"On it!" she yelled back, steps coming closer, panting with the exertion of trying to catch up, the cold air making her breath shorter.

The doors on the vehicle were locked, and while he was pretty sure the car wasn't going to explode or anything, Gibbs knew he needed to get in the vehicle and assess the woman who was now unconscious. Airbags had deployed, and she was slumped limply against the door, though he could see she was breathing.

A glance to the backseat, and his heart caught in his throat at the sight of a dazed looking little girl. She was three or maybe four years old, eyes wide and bottom lip trembling, body tangled in a mess of her car seat's straps. Whatever had them in a hurry, it was too much of a hurry to get the girl correctly into her car seat.

"Hey, sweetie," he called, trying to keep his voice calm and kind. Gibbs stepped to the window opposite of the child, and he waved. "Can you unlock the door?"

Before the little girl could answer, he heard a voice saying something about a star and asking what was the emergency.

"The car crashed," Kate shouted, her hand squeezing his arm and handing off the cell phone to trade. "This is Special Agent Kate Gibbs, we need the doors to be unlocked. Female driver is unconscious, one child in the backseat with unclear injuries, but we can't get in!"

A moment later there was a click, and Kate quickly opened the door to the backseat, letting her husband handle the front seat and the woman who had been driving. She managed to get their location to OnStar and then turned her full attention to the little girl who had fat tears streaking down her cheeks. "Hey… ssh, my name's Kate, and I'm here to help you," she soothed.

"Momma?" came the whimper, bottom lip trembling again.

"Can you tell me your…wait a sec, Natalie. It's Natalie, right?"

A little sniffle was the first reply, and then the girl blinked. "Uh-huh. You and momma talked at the park."

"Mhmm," Kate soothed, sliding closer now that the girl seemed less scared. "Yeah, we talked a few times. That's my husband, Gibbs, up there."

"Momma?" Natalie tried again.

Kate shifted a little, blocking the girl's view, not that there was much that Natalie could see from that angle. Still, if it turned out for the worst, she didn't want her to see it. "He's helping her, she's asleep right now. Can you talk to me, tell me where it hurts?"

"H-here," Natalie sniffled again, tears dripping off her thick eyelashes as she pointed to her neck, but her hand froze and she whined.

Kate reached out, hoping to get a better look at the bruising, but Natalie jerked it back, cradling it close with another whimper. "Sssh, okay, I won't touch your arm. I'm going to put my hand under your chin. Natalie, do you know how to play the quiet game?"

"N-nat," she whispered.

"Nat, okay," Kate murmured, her hand gently cupping the girl's chin and holding her head still. "Now, we're going to stay still like a statue, can you do that?"

Natalie started to nod, but realizing she wasn't moving, she answered a soft yes.

"Good girl, you're being very brave," came the soft encouragement. "Can you tell me about getting in the car? Where were you going?"

Natalie tried to shrug, but Kate gently held her still, encouraging her to use her words instead. "Dunno, m-momma dinnit say. Told me get in my seat, and buckle tight, but I dinnit do it right cuz it's twisty."

Kate glanced at the straps. "You tried really well, honey," she soothed. "Were you at home when you got in the car?" In the distance, she could hear the sirens nearing.

"Sleeping in my house. I don't have lovie," she sniffled, chin trembling now, and Kate was working overtime to try to keep her calm.

Natalie sniffled hard, good arm lifting to rub at her messy face. "Too loud," she complained.

"I know, it's the doctors that are coming to help us. They have to be loud to tell everyone else to get out of the way so they can help you. Sssh, you're being so brave, just a few more moments and they'll be here to help us."

The sirens were there now, and Kate could barely hear her husband directing the crew, getting help first the woman in the front, a single woman coming to Kate's side.

"What do we have?"

"Natalie, _Nat_," she emphasized, "Her right hand in injured, probably some bruises from these straps, and she says her neck hurts. I've got her still, I haven't let her move much since we arrived on scene just moments after the crash. She hasn't complained of any pains, but she's slipping into shock."

The paramedic slipped around to the other side of the car, gloved fingers gently running along the girl's legs and uninjured arm. "Nat, how are you doing?"

"Ow," she whined, eyes a little glassy, though Kate couldn't tell if it was from tears or from a head injury.

"Okay, sit tight while I get some things. We're going to put you in a special thing to help you relax and be still."

Kate was sure it was hard enough knowing that the mother was still unconscious and seriously injured… but watching the team try to deal with this four year old had her heart going through the ringer. The cervical collar intimidated Natalie, and the shift onto a backboard and then to be strapped down to it… The trained agent in her knew it was for the best, the safest course of action until they conclusively ruled out neck and spinal injuries, but she ached as the girl cried and shivered under the blanket. Shock had definitely settled in.

"Ma'am are you coming?" the medic asked.

As they had shifted Natalie onto a gurney, only Kate's hand rubbing gently over her calf had kept her grounded. Pained eyes begged, and Natalie sniffled again, looking impossibly small under the braces and straps. "Of course," she'd answered, giving Gibbs a lost look before the team carefully loaded Natalie into the back of the ambulance.


	3. Chapter 3

_This chapter went a little longer than I planned. Yeah, I know the Gibbs and kids thing is overdone, but we go with it… Reviews are sunshine, and I like sunny days._

"Hey, is the kid in there?" Gibbs asked a nurse as he tried to get a look through the blinds that were lowered but not quite shut.

"Are you family?" the woman at least took the time to ask, eyeing him skeptically.

He set his coffee cup on a cart and fished out his ID. "Special Agent Gibbs, my wife and I were first on scene. I'm looking for Kate Gibbs and Natalie Wright."

Sharp green eyes scrutinized the badge before she nodded behind her. "Three doors back, 307. You might be quiet, they're sleeping." Before he could take another step, she caught his arm to stop him. "Extra blanket's in the alcove across the hall from their room."

"Thanks," he murmured, giving a small smile before he found the right door and eased the handle open.

The lights were off, only grayish overcast midmorning light filtered through a thin curtain. Kate was laying on the bed, reclined on the adjustable mattress, the girl draped against her chest. One small hand was encased in an obnoxiously bright pink cast, the other sporting a small IV and carefully tucked against Kate's shoulder. His wife's arm was crooked around the kid, a pillow keeping them in place. She looked like a natural. He'd never had a doubt about her skills in caring for a kid, but he knew she did.

Closing the door silently behind him, he crossed toward the pair, picking up the chart and squinting at it. He held it at arm's length, but it didn't matter how clear or fuzzy the words were, it was all medical jargon. After years of autopsies, he knew the basics. The kid had a broken arm, _greenstick fracture_ _of the left radius_ and various _contusions._ He was relieved that concussion wasn't on the list.

"Hey there," came a sleepy murmur from the bed, and Kate gave a huge yawn. "How long have you been here?"

"Not long," he murmured, voice low even though Natalie appeared to be out. "How is she?"

"Exhausted. They sedated her once they ruled out concussion and before x-rays. Nat freaked out when they tried to leave me in the waiting room. God, this wore me out, and she's not even ours." Kate swallowed and gave him a tremulous smile, her brave face. "Nothing too serious, just a collection of bruises, and her broken arm. She's gotta sleep off this sedation, keep down a meal, and use the bathroom and they'll be satisfied enough to release her."

Gibbs leaned in and dropped a kiss to the top of Kate's head before straightening the blanket draped over both of them. Silently pulling a nearby chair up beside the bed, he took his seat and a sip of coffee.

"What about her mom?" Kate asked, her voice barely audible. Sleepy amber eyes were watching him closely, trying to read through his poker face. In her arms, Natalie was still breathing slowly and evenly. Out cold.

"It's ugly. The airbags messed her up, and she hit her head on the window. Swelling in her brain, they might have to do surgery, broken hip and wrist…" His gaze fell to the dark haired kid.

"Who's going to…?" Kate finally reached the follow up question, her eyes watery as she held the girl a little closer than before, fingers stroking gently against the small back. "What about her?"

"Social services is trying to locate family, next of kin," he answered.

"L.J…"

His hand reached over the bed railing to rub lightly against her forearm. "Slow it down, we'll stick around. Make sure she's okay. Whoever they send over is gonna want to know what you know. I think I've seen them at the park before, but…"

Kate took a deep breath and let out a quiet sigh, trying hard not to stir the girl from her much-needed sleep. "Her mom's name is Angie… I don't think she ever gave me a last name. They live just a few blocks north of the park, the two of them. Once she was complaining about her boyfriend, but she didn't ever mention Natalie's dad." Another deep breath, and she focused on a mediocre painting of a field of lavender as she tried to remember. "I … that's all I got for now."

"Angela and Natalie Wright," he supplied, taking a long drink. "34, lives two blocks northwest of the park, rents a little walk up."

"You called in the team?" she asked, though it shouldn't have surprised her.

"McGee was running in a report anyway, and Abby skips a lot of her off time," he answered

Kate gave him a mock-stern look. "Like someone else I know."

"You wouldn't let me hear the end of it if we didn't try to do something for 'em."

The brunette nodded in agreement. "Damn right."

Before he could say anything else, the door opened to allow the nurse who had give him directions and a man in worn black pants and a collared long-sleeved green shirt that might have once been starched and ironed, but hadn't seen either in a while. "Special Agent Gibbs, this is Allen Neilsen, C.P.S."

"Al," the man said, his hand coming out for a shake as Gibbs crossed the room and gave a shake in reply. His gaze quickly turned to the girl, and Kate's hold shifted just a little, holding the girl more protectively. "This is Natalie?"

"Yeah," Kate answered quietly. "She's sleeping off some sedation," she supplied, glancing to the nurse in hopes that the woman would fill in some details.

"Yes, I was briefed," he replied, giving her a tired and thin smile. "It's going to take some time to find next of kin. There doesn't seem to be anyone in the D.C. area who is related to them, who could take responsibility for her."

Kate straightened a little, the sudden movement rousing Natalie enough to make the girl mumble something and sigh before going limp against his wife again. "Nat. Her name's Natalie, and she prefers _Nat_."

"_Nat_," Al agreed. "You both were instrumental in getting her this far, and I understand the attachment. I promise, we'll take good care of her while we locate next of kin. I'm sure you must want to get home before this snow storm hits."

Before he could speak, Gibbs saw his wife bristling and turning protective over this girl in way that, frankly, didn't surprise him at all. "Take care of her at some office all day?" she challenged. "Or in this hospital overnight? Just where do you think you can place her last minute like this? An overcrowded home?"

The man set his briefcase on a small bedside table, and the small thud was enough to rouse Natalie this time.

"Momma?" came the drowsy question, glass amber eyes struggling to focus on the faces.

"Sssh, you're okay. Remember, the doctors took good care of you," Kate soothed, hand rubbing gently over the girl's back.

Natalie looked at her cast-encased wrist and then to the IV in her arm. "Ow," she whispered, a tear streaking down her face.

"I know, baby," came the reply, and Kate glanced to the nurse. "Is the IV still necessary?"

The woman gave an understanding smile, and Gibbs planned to make sure she got a nice recommendation letter for her care. Moving to the stand, she checked the bag of fluids and nodded. "Looks good here… Nat, sweet girl, can you hold your arm still for me? I'm gonna get rid of this for you, okay?"

Natalie's dark head nodded once, and she let herself relax against Kate's chest again, the agent gently holding the girl's head still, to keep her from seeing the needle coming out.

"Now this will feel a little funny, but it's okay," the nurse soothed as she expertly slid out the needle and quickly bandaged up the small spot left behind. "Brave girl, you get a snoopy bandaid, how about that?"

Sniffling, Natalie looked up this time, inspecting the bandaid and looking up at Kate with soulful eyes. "Where's Momma?"

"Sleeping," Gibbs stepped in, knowing his wife had managed everything with this kid so far today. He could only imagine what the ambulance ride was like, with Natalie fighting the cervical collar and backboard, not to mention triage and the E.R. "She's gotta stay here so the doctors can help her get better."

"I can stay here," the girl supplied, bottom lip trembling in that way that made him want to move everything to fix it.

"Actually, you—" Al began before Gibbs stood to his full height.

The special agent nodded toward the corner by the door. To his credit, Al took the hint. "Did they tell you about the car crash?"

"Crashed… into a mailbox," he answered, glancing to the briefcase that he'd left a few feet away.

"Their car was rammed into a mailbox. Nobody was out this morning, almost no traffic. It wasn't an accident, wasn't random road rage. That kid could be at risk. My team is the Major Case Response Team, top of NCIS. Kate over there, she's a profiler, former Secret Service, plus unless you have a crowbar in your bag, good luck getting that kid to detach from her. Find next of kin, let us handle her in the meantime."

The man shook his head, looking flustered. "It doesn't work that way, you can't just—"

"I got a couple of contacts at CPS that I can call. Our director. SecNav. How far do you want to take it?"

He sighed and shrugged. "Does this kid even know you?"

"Nat knows Kate, they've met in the park, talked a few times. It's a stretch, but do you see anyone else around here to claim the kid? Look, here's my card, our numbers, do your thing. Ee'll look after her, they find her family and it ends well for everyone."

"Give me a minute," Al answered, his gaze still suspicious.

Gibbs reached for his cell, scrolling through names and finding the one he was searching for. Hitting 'talk,' he handed over the ringing phone without a word. Thank God for some good contacts in D.C. They all hated the cases involving kids, but he wasn't about to let one slip through cracks in a system. It wasn't like this was the first time they did protection detail, and while he doubted that Natalie was in imminent danger, it wouldn't hurt to have a former Marine Sniper and former Secret Service agent watching out for her for a while. Good luck topping that with any emergency placements. With a nod of reassurance to Kate, he resumed his seat while the nurse handed Natalie a cup of water.


	4. Chapter 4

_Well, the last part of this took a little turn I wasn't expecting, but it's some of my fave peeps. Enjoy, faithful readers and review on, you wonderful review-ers._

Snow was falling heavily as the car made its way through streets that were starting to disappear under a blanket of anonymous white. Kate glanced over to see how Natalie was doing, noting that the girl was staring out the window, dazed. Poor kid was wiped out, and Kate couldn't think of anything better than an afternoon nap… after a warm shower.

She plucked at the blanket draped over both of them, pulled it back. A moment later, and she realized she was in a Catch-22. With the blanket, she was too hot. Without it, she was too cold. They were bundled in the backseat, thank God for Abby who brought out one of the agency cars for them, complete with a booster seat and a trunk of supplies to last them through the weekend—clothes, sippy cups, groceries, and Pull Ups. Thank God for Pull Ups.

_Kate ran her hand across Natalie's back, her free hand taking the cup of water from the sleepy girl and setting it on the rolling table nearby. Across the room, Al was still talking on the phone, and meanwhile the girl had kept down half a cup of chicken noodle soup and juice. She glanced nervously at the television, which was muted but showing the latest weather reports. "Think they'll let us out of here soon?"_

_Snow was starting to fall, the storm coming in steadily from the West where it had already shut down highways and airports. _

_Gibbs shook his head slightly, dropping a kiss to the top of her head as Natalie snuggled closer and started to drift off again. "Don't worry, we'll make it home in plenty of time. Darcy'll come through on this CPS stuff, and Abby'll be here in about half an hour with a car."_

_Her lips pressed into a thin line as she shifted carefully to find a more comfortable position while she held her small charge. "I don't want to get stuck here at the hospital—or worse yet, on the side of the road."_

_He adjusted the blanket draped over them for the umpteenth time. "We'll be fine. Abbs is gonna stay with us, though. "I don't want her driving out in this mess."_

"_Of course," she answered, melting a little and surprised to find herself on the verge of tears over the sweet gesture. He had been extra attentive to both her and Natalie while the social worker hammered out details in the corner. "She'll—" Kate was suddenly aware of an unfamiliar sensation. It was warm and wet. "What… oh God… Nat?" she called, trying to jostle the girl enough to rouse her. "Nat, honey…"_

"_What's wrong?" he asked as the nurse joined them again. As Kate pulled back the blanket, the other adults realized what had happened. "Happens … welcome to motherhood, Kate," he chuckled as the nurse went to find a clean Pull Up for Nat and something for Kate to change into._

Kate plucked at the thin scrubs with a sigh. They didn't offer a lot of warmth, but they had been functional enough to get home. Assuming they made it home sometime soon.

"Earth to Kate," Abby called from the front seat.

With a little start, Kate glanced up at her best friend. "Huh?"

"Is everyone okay back there?" Gibbs asked, angling the rearview mirror for a moment to glance at the backseat and the two sitting back there.

"We're just tired, and a … little car sick," she admitted with a scowl. Natalie was drifting in and out, enough to stay drowsy and seem uncomfortable, but not enough to be content enough to drift off to sleep.

Abby turned slightly. "You should get her to watch the snow, it can have a really calming effect on people. Nat, isn't it really pretty?"

"Not that kid," Kate sighed. "His kid is a little car sick." She'd managed the last few weeks without feeling so sick any more, and but now she was. Tiredness wasn't helping, and she was feeling about a step up from miserable. Come on, Caitlin, you've dealt with worse stuff than this. Deal with it.

"We can trade seats. Sometimes it helps to sit up front—" Abby began, reaching to unbuckle her seatbelt and climb into the back, but a gentle but firm hand on her wrist stopped her.

Gibbs shook his head. "No, Abbs. If you two are switching seats, I'll pull over somewhere, and we'll do it safe."

"Stay," Natalie whimpered, small fingers sorting under the blanket, searching for Kate's hand a catching her sleeve instead and holding on tight.

"I can sit with you," Abby tried to coax as they made another turn and crept their way down roads where snow was starting to coat cars parked on the side of the streets and drift eerily. "Kate'll be right up front."

The dark headed little girl shook her head firm, bottom lip trembling.

Kate felt like crying, too, but she swallowed hard and covered the smaller hand with her own. "I'm staying here, Nat. We'll be okay, just… get us home," she sighed.

"Trying," Gibbs muttered.

The former secret service agent sighed, biting her own bottom lip in an attempt to keep control of her emotions. She wasn't sure if she was on the verge of anger or tears, or angry tears, but she knew enough psychology to know she didn't have control of her emotions enough to answer. _Damn hormones._

Despite the fact that Abby was fantastic with kids, Natalie hadn't quite clicked with her, yet. Unfortunately, the goth's appearance was probably partly to blame for that. When she showed up in a black tshirt with a skeleton outline and a somewhat accurate red heart graphic under lying… well, she could see how a kid might get the wrong impression. In time they would be good friends, but so far they hadn't had much time. Once Abby showed up, things moved pretty fast, and they were on their way home within twenty minutes.

NCIS * NCIS * NCIS * NCIS * NCIS

"One more load," Abby said quietly as she set down another set of shopping sacks on the kitchen table—a table that had all but disappeared underneath the collection. She hadn't exactly meant to buy so much, but she wasn't sure how long they might be stuck at the house, either. There were warm clothes, pajamas, tooth brush, tooth paste, and dozens of other things.

Her boss's hand cupped her elbow, steering her back toward the kitchen. "Start getting stuff into the fridge and freezer, I'll get the last load."

"On it, boss-man."

"_Hold onto me nice and tight, I'll get you there safe," Gibbs soothed, making sure she had a good hold on him. Small arms wrapped around his neck, legs wrapped around his hip, and one arm was like a firm band around her as his other slid around Kate's to keep her steady as they made their way along the walk and up the porch steps._

_Abby paused a moment, watching the three of them and wondering. That will be the three of them in a few months. Only her boss's holler about being careful on the steps snapped her out of the reverie, saving her from freezing any more than she already was._

_By their second trip, Kate had already dug out a pair of warm footie jammies and had Natalie snug in them. She even found the little sock monkey that Abby had purchased on a whim, thinking that something soft to snuggle might help the girl adjust to all of the chaos suddenly thrown into her life. By the time they made a third trip in and out, Kate was in sweats and curled up on the couch with the toddler._

Abby quickly put away perishables and began to stow the rest in the cupboards. The sippy cups were quickly washed and left in the empty half of the sink to air dry while Gibbs carted clothes upstairs and Abby's overnight bag was tucked into a spare corner by the couch.

The couch were Kate and Natalie were curled up together, looking very much like they belonged there. It struck Abby now that with her coloring, the little girl could pass for a little Gibblet. "Is Kate okay?" she asked quietly, seeing the circles under her friend's eyes and the paleness of her skin.

"She'll be okay," Gibbs assured, grabbing some wood and stacking it in the fireplace. He tucked the newspaper under the collection and lit it, blowing gently until it caught. "It takes a lot of energy to grow a kid."

Abby shrugged, pacing a little before picking up a book and taking a chair. "She's always kept up with us, but, Gibbs, she was practically in tears on the ride home—"

"I know, Abbs."

Abby set down the book she had yet to open, hand gesturing emphatically. "But, it's not _like_ her. She's so tired all the time."

He shook his head and checked the rarely used guard that would keep the fire safely out of Natalie's reach if she woke and went exploring. "I _know_, Abbs."

"But, Gibbs!" she protested, "This is _Kate._"

"He knows, Abby," came the drowsy reply from the couch, Kate blinking owlishly at her. "Watch the snow fall. It has a calming effect. I'm kinda busy growing a tiny human over here."

Abby's mouth dropped for a moment as she glanced between the couple, who were both sporting small matching smiles. And then she glanced at the snow falling steadily. It _did_ seem to have a calming effect. She picked up her book meekly. "Sorry, Kate."

"Ssssh," came the soft answer, the last words before Kate's breathing evened out and … the snoring started.

The goth's eyebrows lifted a little in surprise. "She…"

"Mhmm," Gibbs sighed, the corner of his mouth twitching into a small smirk as he checked the fire one last time and pulled out his own book on nursery furniture.

"A lot?" Abby pressed as Kate's snores paused a moment and quieted a little.

The silver head shook slightly. "Don't ask, don't tell. You're gonna get me in trouble."

"My lips are sealed," she tried, but he merely shook his head again.

"Sssh, that's my kid she's trying to grow over there."


	5. Chapter 5

_I own nothing, I just play with these characters every now and then. Kibbs forever. Review on, friends. Thanks to all who so faithfully review. It's very encouraging. I'm updating as fast as I can these days. Unfortunately, my life got super busy lately. Enjoy a bit of domesticated Kibbs with a good serving of Papa Smurf… er, Papa Gibbs._

Gibbs stretched carefully, testing his shoulder again. After nearly a month, he had gained back a lot of the range of motion he had before dislocating it, but it still ached every now and then. Technically speaking, he _should_ still be in physical therapy, but he didn't have time for it. He'd gone to a few appointments, picked up on the exercises, and then missed most of his appointments after that. The cold weather and shifting barometric pressure was messing with it, but not nearly as much as it messed with his knee.

He had spent the last hour checking in with Metro P.D., who had made virtually no progress on the Wright case. To say that the weather was making the case difficult was an understatement, but it was like they weren't trying that hard, either. DiNozzo had tried to remind him that metro would be swamped with traffic issues, trying to rescue people from cars and verify that stranded cars were cleared… the Wright case would be low on priorities, especially with so little information. Delegated as likely a hit and run, road rage.

Gibbs knew enough to know that wasn't true. This was personal.

For a while now Abby had been plugging away on her laptop, thanks to Kate's insistence on wireless internet when she moved in a few years back. She'd paused long enough to start up some gumbo for their dinner, before getting absorbed into records again.

Ziva, Tony and McGee were all working, too. The first two had made sure Ducky made it home and were spending the storm at his place to be sure he and his mother were okay. McGee had been sent home again, and he had promised his boss that his sister was coming over to spend the storm with him and stock up his supplies of soup and cold medicine. He didn't have any new updates from any of his team.

After being shooed out of the kitchen when he attempted to stir the gumbo for Abby, he slipped quietly into the living room. A quick glance told him that after four hours, the snow was letting up but not by much.

The little gasp of surprise and the soft thud had Gibbs glancing toward the couch. Kate was curled on her side, blanket still draped around her protectively. He'd have to wake her soon. It wasn't that he doubted she would sleep the night—she could sleep at the drop of a hat—but he knew she'd want to be awake for a while tonight to enjoy their company and to see what progress they had made… at the moment he'd rather let her sleep until they had something, anything.

"Nat?" he asked softly, already knowing she was the source of the quiet sounds. Slowly he stepped forward, neck craning to look on the other side of the sofa and finding the little girl tucked between the end of the couch and the wall.

His hand extended, and he knelt before her. "Hey, kiddo, can you come out here? Everything okay?"

Natalie's tongue was tucked between her teeth, and she chewed lightly on it as she thought over

the offer. Solemn amber eyes studied him carefully. "Wh…where's momma?"

He scooted forward, crouching a little lower until they were eye level. "She's sleeping where doctors can help her," he answered truthfully, hands extending, palms up.

The bottom lip trembled, and God he hated it when kids cried and there wasn't much he could do to fix it. It was right up there with Kate crying, which could happen at the drop of a hat these days. Between trying to safely navigate the slick streets with the most important people in his life riding with him and knowing Kate wasn't feeling well… The drive home from the hospital hadn't been fun. He hoped they didn't have to return to the hospital until she was ready to have the baby in the spring, although he was sure they'd be going back to check in on Angie.

Tears welled up, and Gibbs carefully lifted her, cuddling her close as she cradled her arm. "Ow," she sniffled, a little sob making her breath hitch.

"I got ya," he murmured, shifting her to take most of the weight on his stronger arm while the other rubbed her back. He pressed a soft kiss to her brow, in part to soothe her and in part to test his theory. Yep, definitely running a fever.

A glance to the couch told him that Kate was still down for the count. He paused long enough to grab the rabbit resting against his wife's knees and a light blanket. Wrapping the blanket around Natalie, Gibbs could only try to take comfort in the fact that Abby's 'always be prepared' drive meant that they probably had children's Tylenol. She could put the Girl Scouts to shame.

"Gibbs, gumbo is an _art_. You can't rush—hey there, sweetie," Abby started to protest, breaking off midway when she realized they had company. She came closer, her hand stroking gently over the girl's brown locks. "She's warm."

"Yeah," he sighed, glancing around the counters with a last bag or two still out. "Got a thermometer?"

Abby turned, rummaging around before producing a purple bag. "Whatever it was that made them hurry out of the house, her m-o-m still remembered this. Complete with thermometer." She pulled out the piece and offered it up.

Gibbs carefully set the girl on the edge of the table, studying the thermometer carefully for a moment. It took a fiddling with a few buttons before he inserted it gently in Natalie's ear and was able to get a reading. "Okay, kiddo, do you want Abby to hold you or me while I call my friend?"

Tears were still falling, but she was down to sniffles now. Her good hand clutched close the rabbit and rubbed tiredly at her eyes. After studying the two of them, she reached out, fingers tangling in the hem of his shirt.

"Wow," Abby breathed, taking a seat nearby with a sigh. "She's really digging you, Boss-man."

"Yeah," he murmured, dropping another kiss to the girl's head and thinking that before the end of the night, they would need to get Natalie into a bath. Fishing out his cellphone, he scrolled down a name or two before hitting the button to connect.

"Ducky's phone, this is Very Special Agent DiNozzo speaking," came the younger but familiar voice on the third ring.

"Gibbs," he spoke, free hand rubbing soothingly over Natalie's back.

"Oh, hey, Boss. Hey, speaking of bosses I tracked down Wright's ex-boss. I guess her boyfriend was dropping in a lot, sounds like he was kinda controlling. Anyway, it was enough that her boss got sick of it and gave her an ultimatum. Him or her job. She kept the job, but I think she got fired anyway. That lady gave uptight a new definition. Very Devil Meets Prada—"

He shook his head, eyes rolling. "DiNozzo?"

"Yeah, boss?"

"I called Ducky," he reminded pointedly.

"That hurts, Gibbs," Tony sighed dramatically.

"DiNozzo," he rumbled the word, giving Natalie a little wink so she wouldn't be intimidated by his tone. She didn't say anything else, just sniffled and began to rest herself against his chest, slowly giving over her weight to him.

"Ducky here," came the familiar Scottish lilt.

"Hey, Duck. Nat's ready for her pain meds, but she's running a fever, too. Do I stick with the children's Tylenol or what?"

"Oh, dear, I'm sorry to hear that," their M.E. sighed. "How high is her fever?"

"Hundred and one point three. Not too high, but still…" He trailed off as Abby tried to adjust Natalie's blanket when the little girl shivered. Rather than bring comforted, Natalie shrank away from the touch, burying her face against his chest and burrowing down under the warmth of the blanket. Despite her shivers, she was a little ball of heat against him.

It took a few moments to get the right dosages, and he was under strict instructions to call if her fever went over 102. Gibbs was just about to hang up when Kate joined him, sliding up to his side.

She looked tired, still, and rested her head lightly against his upper arm. Even through his sleeve he could feel the warmth. "Need to ask him what I can take," she sighed, voice hoarse as she shot him an apologetic glance.

"What was that, Jethro?" his friend asked over the line.

Abby was already crossing the kitchen and pulling out a kettle to start some tea. "Poor Kate," she sympathized.

"I got two sick girls here, Duck," he answered, letting Kate take Natalie, who curled against Kate and whimpered softly when the movement jostled her arm.

"Oh, I see. Caitlin is it?"

"Yeah, low fever, but… with the baby."

"Plenty of rest and fluids, and they should both be just fine. Put Kate on, would you?"

"Here," she murmured as he leaned down so that she could speak to their friend, holding the phone so they could both hear.

"Cut down on layers a bit. Try a tshirt and cotton fabrics to keep yourself cool. I know you must be chilled, but it's important to keep your body temperature down. A cool washcloth against the back of your neck may help, too. If that isn't enough, then I recommend a lukewarm bath—but not a cold one. If you really must, then take some Tylenol, too."

Kate glanced nervously up at her husband.

"What do you recommend?" Gibbs asked, not sure which route to take on this one.

"Start with the cool clothes and washcloth, and go from there. I'll call in a few hours to check in, please call if her fever gets much higher," Ducky replied. "And lots and lots of water. Hydration will help flush your system."

"Thanks, Duck, I'm about to tuck them both into bed for a while." Gibbs finished out his call, turning his attention to his girls now. He'd much rather be able to dig in and enjoy the quiet time at home, but at least he could take some time now to look after Kate without feeling guilty about needing to work, too. His team was still working through this case, and he had work to do here.


	6. Chapter 6

_Thanks for your patience. It's always fun to see how a story will develop & diverge from an original idea. Enjoy, and reviews are so kind. Thanks Dg101 for so often review—it's really encouraging. We'll see where things turn from here…_

Kate shivered as the cool air pulled her out of deep, formless dreams. With a little grunt of protest, she curled toward the body beside her, snuggling into the warmth. As she pressed closer, she paused, confused by the softness and the wrong scent. "L.J.?" she murmured, blinking in the darkness and trying to make out a shape beside her.

"Still a cuddler, I see," Abby giggled quietly, her hand somehow finding Kate's forehead as her palm pressed against it. "Your fever broke."

"Mmmm… cold," Kate murmured, giving a small noise of contentment when Abby pulled the blanket around her again. "'time 's it?" she asked sleepily, quiet for a long few moments that made Abby wonder if she had fallen back to sleep.

"Three in the morning," her friend answered softly. "How about some tea? Or water?"

Kate's head shook in the dark. "Nuh-uh. Gonna make me have to pee again. Where's L.J.? And Nat?"

"On an air mattress and pallet in the other room. Ducky said to keep you and Nat apart in case you have different viruses. Can't be too careful. I mean, you've already been exposed, and you probably caught it from her. Or maybe you both caught it at the hospital. Did you know that hospitals actually have tons of bacteria and virus? It's like … a Petri dish. There are more germs per square inch—"

"Abby?" Kate pleaded, giving a sigh of long-suffering. "Three A.M. sleepy."

Beside her, the goth shifted. "Anyway, you should stay hydrated. Peeing is good for you, flushes you out."

"When I wake up, I promise I'll drink down tea _and _water, but can you… wanna go back to sleep. Wish he was here."

"C'mere," Abby said, voice repentant as she snuggled close to her best friend and gently rubbed the agent's back. "Can I talk to the Gibblet for a little bit?"

"Quietly," Kate answered, tired but giving into the soft spot that she and her husband shared for this friend. "Can I keep the covers now?"

"That's up to you," Abby replied easily, sliding down a bit. "You're the one kicking them off."

A hand slid experimentally over, and Kate found it and guided it to her belly.

"Hey there, little guy—or girl," Abby cooed, rubbing lightly against the curve. "This is Auntie Abby, and I promise I'm really cool. And we're going to have lots of fun, and I'll take you cool places, and we'll be friends. Because you're not going to be afraid of me."

Kate sighed quietly, frustrated, too, that Natalie was so adamantly against getting to know her best friend. "Baby knows friends when it hears them," she assured, wishing that their small guest wasn't keeping her husband from sleeping beside her and hurting Abby's feelings. It was understandable, the kid was only three.

"Dam—uh, darn right," Abby caught herself mid-swear. "Sorry, Kate. Only good things for this Gibblet."

"Mhmmm," the agent yawned and shifted. "Abby… sleepy, but can't fall asleep on my back. Makes me all achy for the whole day." She tried shifting, finally letting her friend help arrange pillows and the blanket, the effort enough to wear her out.

Abby gave the belly one last little rub and a peck of a kiss. "Night, Gibblet. Let your mommy get lots of sleep."

"'Night, Abby," Kate murmured, yawning hugely and snuggling back into her spot again and drifting.

NCIS * NCIS * NCIS * NCIS * NCIS

"Morning Captain," came a warm voice, the hand cupping her cheek was equally warm as the thumb caressed lightly. "You awake?" Gibbs called softly, voice low and coaxing.

Kate's hands lifted, rubbing at her eyes before she blinked up. "You smell good," she rasped, voice thin from lack of use, catching as she coughed for a moment.

His arm slid around her, carefully helping her sit up and handing over a bottle of water. "Abbs said you had some agreement?"

Her tangled hair swayed as she nodded and took a slow sip of water. While she worked on drinking down some of the liquid, Kate yielded to his need to check her over. She didn't try to evade the fingers taking her heart rate or the palm carefully feeling her forehead again, followed by the thermometer that had to go into her ear for a reading.

Gibbs pulled out a small notebook and scribbled down the date, time and temperature. "Normal."

She sighed and relaxed against him in relief, letting his hand rub her back in quiet comfort. "Think it'll come back later today?"

"We'll see, hope not," he answered, dropping a kiss into her messy hair.

She turned her face against his chest, breathing in the light scent of sawdust, coffee, and something innately _him_. He had showered before waking her, glad to be clean and have the hot water and electricity flowing. Parts of D.C. hadn't been so lucky. But he had skipped the Old Spice for weeks now, her sense of smell very acute. Kate blinked up at him, trying to clear the sleepiness that seemed to cling to her. She was cute when she was drowsy like this. "Are the others up?"

"Asleep again in the living room. They made pancakes and watched cartoons together."

Kate leaned back a little, eyes widening a little. "Wait… both of them?"

"Mhmm," he answered with a little smile, handing over his black hoodie and helping her slide it on over her thin cotton shirt. Taking her hand, he led her slowly down the stairs and into the living room.

Abby was asleep on the couch, on her side with Natalie curled up against her. The little dark head was tucked under the goth's chin. Both were breathing slow and steadily. It was one of those peaceful scenes from a movie or a book, and Gibbs wished that they could savor it longer.

"_Morning, son," came his father's warm voice through the phone. "Did the snow hit like they said it would?"_

_Gibbs glanced to the kitchen where Natalie and Abby were standing at the counter. Both were sporting aprons, Natalie's folded over so that it didn't trip her up as she stood on one of the chairs. He would have to build a proper stool for their kid because knowing Kate, cooking would be happening a lot. "Yeah, came down pretty hard. We're stuck in for a day, maybe two. Nice to catch a break, let Kate rest up."_

"_Is everything alright?" his father probed in that uncanny way that, really, shouldn't surprise Gibbs give his own ability to read people._

"_She caught a cold. I'm gonna head-slap McGee into next week for coming into the office sick."_

"_It's not Timmy's fault, Gibbs," Abby protested from across the kitchen. At his glare, she gave a little squeak and turned on her heel to give her attention back to her task at hand. "Um, anyway, we're gonna make monster pancakes. Big and gloppy."_

"_Monsters?" Natalie asked timidly, scooting to the far side of her chair and eyeing the woman beside her._

"_Monsters," Abby repeated. "Except _we _gobble _them _all up."_

_It made Natalie smile and relax her body at last, letting the small sling take the weight of her cast. She watched as Abby sneaked a look at Gibbs and then took a swipe of the blueberry pancake batter when she thought he wasn't looking. A quick glance in his direction, as he pretended to be very busy on his phone, and Natalie followed Abby's lead. The two had been inseparable since._

He slid his arm around his wife's waist, pulling her close and letting his fingers brush lightly against her hip. Gibbs dropped a soft kiss to her forehead. "I talked to dad."

"Oh my God," Kate sighed. "Thanksgiving. We… what does he want us to bring?"

"He's doing the bringing. We can still run away to Mexico for the week if you'd rather," he offered, half teasing. Now was not the time for a get away, much as he would enjoy a week without the office.

"Here? He's coming here?"

"Mhmm," he murmured. "C'mon, let's get some breakfast into you two. Abby made me promise to give you some food."

Catching her up on Jack's latest took up most of the time he spent getting her pancakes to cook and the turkey bacon to fry up to crispy—the way she liked it. She worked on an apple and watched him work, the little furrow slowly etching itself into her brow.

She didn't say anything, just let him talk in his own slow, deliberate way about Jack coming to visit them, instead of their plan to do this the other way around. Between whatever was going to happen with Natalie, the team possibly being on call, and Ducky's desire to have everyone out to his place, he didn't think she would be upset.

And Kate wasn't upset, but she was working something over. The profiler in her was working overtime as she tucked into the pancakes and finished half of them and all of her bacon before returning her attention squarely back to him.

His eyebrows lifted in question.

"What's wrong?" she asked before he could.

For long moments, he held her gaze, trying to assure her, hoping she'd drop it but knowing deep down that she wouldn't.

"Leroy Jethro, something is wrong." Her gaze flickered to the living room, which was still silent. "God, did her mom die?" she asked, the last work barely voiced.

His silvered head shook firmly no. "Ziva called in some favors, did some digging… it's a mess."

"Angie?"

Sharp blue eyes flickered to the living room again to confirm that Natalie wasn't standing at the entrance listening. "Her ex. Homeland Security's involved. They don't think Angie had anything to do with it, but it's…a mess."

"Homeland Security…" she repeated the word in surprise, giving a moment to settle before looking up, her gaze meeting his as she curse roundly. "We have to keep her safe."

His gaze hardened now, mouth tensing into a thin line. "Oh, we will."


	7. Chapter 7

_And onward we go. Reviews are love. Kibbs lives on…_

"I have several people looking further into it," Ziva was saying on the video before Kate, the Israeli shoving back a lock of wild curling hair tiredly behind her ear. She pulled out a fresh tissue from the well used box beside her and didn't even try to stifle the next sneeze.

Gibbs stepped behind Kate, turning the mouth piece away from his mouth as he leaned in. "Anything new?... Ziva, you look like hell."

"Tell McGee I will flay him with my letter opening when we return," the Mossad Office growled, the words muddied with congestion. "Yes, Ducky, I know… to bed in a bit, we are working," she called over her shoulder. "I am sorry, Gibbs, we are still trying to make headway. Metro is overwhelmed with the snow and the problems it has caused, and it is still the middle of the night in Tel Aviv and half of the world. As soon as I have more to share, I will call."

Kate nodded and sighed, flipping through the previous page of notes, glancing across the table where Abby was busily working away at her laptop and Natalie was coloring. The little girl's hair was in pony tails identical to Abby's, with the exception that her hair was a medium brown to Abby's black. She was also sporting Abby's huge skull headphones on, the music up enough that she wouldn't overhear the conversations around her.

"Get some rest, Ziva, Tony can pick up the slack," Gibbs sighed, nodding for Kate to continue while he lowered his cell phone again. "Too much sharing, McGee. Ziva's got your number when this storm blows over."

His probie sighed in frustration, then sniffled. "I swear, boss, I'll find something soon," he promised. "It's hard finding the right ways into the servers from home, but I'll have something fast."

"Oh, I know you will," Gibbs replied, closing his phone with a snap.

"It's not Tim's fault," Abby sighed, "Colds happen."

"He knows better than to get the whole team sick," Gibbs grumbled, dialing another number as Kate switched gears on Skype. "Tony, McGee's still fumbling through financials, anything from Metro?"

Kate clicked over to another contact, subconsciously straightening in her chair and smoothing down her hair. When she started these calls earlier, she hadn't thought much about her appearance.

"Hello Special Agent Todd," came the clipped voice as the man materialized to match it.

"Hi, Evan," she greeted, her tone matching his.

"Or is it… something else now," he mused, brow lining with thought.

"Gibbs," her husband spoke over her shoulder, his sharp blue eyes sizing up their contact.

"It's interchangeable at the office," Kate explained, her hand reaching out of sight of the built in web cam to give her husband's leg a soft pat of assurance. For all the gruffness of this conversation, Evan was on their side. "Gibbs officially, though. What can you tell us?"

He shrugged. "We're on our own hunt here, and short staffed… although that doesn't look like the office."

"We _are_ the office," Gibbs corrected. "What do you got?"

"Wright was mixed up with Peter Heidegger. He's under watch now for contact with a potential sleeper cell. His family has German roots, and we think he was bought. He was born in Germany, his father was a U.S. citizen living there for business, his mother was German. They applied for his dual citizenship, and he's continued it. No military service, but he's contracted at a base in Guam, computer programming, where his ties were first suspected. He chose to transfer to D.C. eighteen months ago, and he's on the watch list."

Kate's gaze flickered to Natalie again as the little girl looked up at her expectantly. "Immediate threats to Wright?"

"Possible. We suspect Heidegger was getting some information through her, but we don't know if she was aware. Or a willing participant."

"She was definitely aware. Whatever happened, she and her kid were in a hurry to get out the door. She was running," Gibbs corrected. "She's at risk. Kid is, too."

Evan shrugged reluctantly. "Is she even conscious?"

"Briefly, they haven't concluded how long-lasting her injuries may be," Kate supplied. "Metro posted an office, but if this is true, it's not enough."

"Hard to sell the need for protection detail when she can't help us. Maybe that's why no one's tried," Evan rationalized, and Kate hated knowing he might be right.

"Figure it out, or I will," Gibbs growled.

Evan's gaze met his through the monitor, both men sizing each other up. "I'll send an agent over there, too."

Kate shook her head. "We got it, between Gibbs, and—"

"Send an agent over," her husband corrected, giving her hip a squeeze, out of sight of the camera. "At least two."

Evan's eyebrow lifted. "I didn't think you'd see the need, Special Agent Gibbs."

"I've had my people at risk too many times. Too many terrorist gone wrong. And I'm not compromising my family."

Kate swallowed against the thickness of emotion in her throat at his words. It was so much more than just terrorists. Their biggest fears were losing one another and this child. After a deep breath to calm her emotions and ignoring Abby's sympathetic look, she straightened. "He's right. And… I'm pregnant. Almost fourteen weeks. We're both a little, ah, protective."

"Congrats, Kate," Evan said, finally giving her a glimpse of a smile. "I'll send the agents over. They can follow a snow plow out there."

She gave him a small smile in return. "Thanks. We'll be in touch."

NCIS * NCIS * NCIS * NCIS * NCIS

Gibbs slid his hand over the top of the dresser, pleased with the soft surface. He had stripped down the sealant and paint, taking it back to underlying wood. Behind him, he could hear the soft creak of the door and Kate's familiar tread down the steps. He stepped back to admire his work before turning as she took the final step. "It's pretty cold down here, Katie."

She held out the cup of steaming coffee and nodded down at the hoodie. "I started a fresh pot for the agents, figured you would want some." Amber eyes fell on the dresser, eyebrows lifting in surprise. "Wow, you built this really quickly. I didn't think…" Her hand slid unconsciously to her belly, rubbing it gently as she circled the dresser in silence before stopping at the drafting table and leaned against it. "That's… you didn't make that recently."

His lips pressed into a thin line, and he shook his head slightly. "Nope." He swallowed and waited, knowing this conversation was coming. When he had made the decision the other week, he hadn't mentioned it to Kate. He knew it would come up, and underneath he was hoping she would be okay with it. She would be. They just needed to get through the part where she adjusted to the idea…

"It's… this is…" The tears were welling up, and damn it, he forgot how easily she could cry. She didn't do this at work. No, she would swallow hard, like she did when she was on that video thing. Sometimes she might excuse herself long enough to pull it together again.

"Kate," the word came out hoarsely, apparently his own emotions catching at this, and he pulled her against him, holding her gently and pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

She sniffled a few more times, then took slow breaths, breathing him in and relaxing in his arms. Her head rested against his shoulder, like when she curled against him at night. "Are you sure?" she murmured against his sweatshirt. "I don't want you to feel like we're replacing Kelly."

"We're not," he agreed, rubbing her back lightly. "It's dumb to leave all this in the attic. To let it… collect dust. I moved forward, built a new life. I'm not leaving it the same, not everything is there. Some if I'll need to build from scratch. We got rid of Kell's crib years ago."

Her head tilted back, eyes lifting to meet his. "I like that… keeping it, but changing it. The memories are still there, but it's moving forward, too… You're sure you're okay with it?"

"Wouldn't have done this much if I wasn't," he answered solidly, pressing a kiss to her forehead, his hand sliding to her belly and rubbing softly against it.

Her hand curled around his neck, body shifting to press into the touch as she captured him in a warm kiss. For all of her conservative ways, she never held back when it came to showing him how she felt—good, bad, or incredible.

Soft lips worked against his, tongue battling his for a drawn out kiss until her body was wrapping itself around him. He could taste the honey and chamomile from her tea. Gibbs pressed into the kiss for long moments before they both broke for air, the pads of his thumbs carefully wiping back her tears.

"I love you," she whispered, pressing a warm, affectionate kiss to his cheek. Hands slid down his sides, finding the hem of his sweater and slipping underneath.

"Abby, Nat, and two agents are upstairs," he reminded her in a soft whisper.

"Mhmm," she murmured, leg curling around him and pressing close in a way that was much more than sweet affection. "Lost in evidence, napping, and guarding Nat with _very_ strict instructions not to open that door unless security is breached or the house is on fire."

His hands slipped over to her hips, rocking her slowly against me. "Might as well enjoy a little… coffee break."

"God, I love coffee," she teased, capturing his lips and gasping as he pulled her closer yet.


	8. Chapter 8

_Kinda felt like I was losing steam there for a bit on this story. Working on the updates, but ideas are slower than usual this time. Sorry. Anyway, reviews are always appreciated. Thank you to all my faithful reviewers. While I post as quickly as I have a chapter finished, reviews help it go easier. Also? Sorry the last chapter had so many typos. I replaced it with a more edited version. That's what I get for being so excited to finally have a chapter up that I didn't give it another day to proofread._

Tony nimbly mounted the porch step, shifting sacks and nodding at the agent who opened the front door for him. He shivered a little, shuffling his feet across the door mat and toeing off his boots. "Boss?"

Gibbs rounded the short wall from the living room and claimed several of his senior field agent's bags. "What'd you find, DiNozzo?"

"Tacos and the best hand-rolled tamales in D.C. Little hole-in-the-wall by my place. They were actually open today, go figure. Hey, it's okay for Kate to eat that stuff, right?" he suddenly asked, as his boss perused the bags. Over the last few weeks he had gotten quiet the education regarding pregnancy. Apparently his Phys Ed classes failed to cover Chinese food and pregnant women, not to mention cautions regarding fish, processed food, and any number of other things he was constantly forgetting. Abby and Kate had yet to fail to remind him.

"Wright and her kid, DiNozzo," Gibbs growled. "Food's fine."

He let his boss pass on the food to another agent and he shed his coat and added it to the collection on the coat tree. "Oh, that. Well, um, I have her lap top for Abby and McGeek, and some files she'd put together. I think she was getting suspicious of her ex boyfriend. Not much else to go on. Had pictures of the kid all over the place, kid's scribbled stuff, you know, that kind of thing. A few pictures of family, mostly with the kid. Guess they see each other a little, you know, but not really tight."

"Anything else?"

Tony lifted the purple and green backpack with the cartoon character on it. "Yeah, brought some of the kid's stuff for her. You know, clothes and a little coat, and some of her DVDs."

Gibbs nodded toward the living room. "In there."

He poked his head around the corner to see Kate sitting on the couch, a little girl perched on the couch beside her. The little girl's dark head was resting against Kate's shoulder, yawning a little as she listened to the story. For half a moment, Tony stood there and watched. He'd never much considered Kate as a mother, at least not before finding out she was pregnant. To be honest, the first image that popped into his brain when he thought of Kate as a mother was a Mama Bear on steroids. Hadn't she said something once about tracking devices sewed into clothing? But the softer side of mothering… well, he was seeing it in person and it was strangely fitting.

The little girl noticed him before Kate did, small eyes going wide and watching him cautiously. She slid closer to Kate, never taking her eyes off of him. As he moved very slowly into the room, the kid climbed fully into Kate's lap, interrupting the story.

"Nat?" Kate asked, finally glancing up and giving him a smirk. "Scaring little girls, DiNozzo?"

"They all come around eventually," he teased back, stepping forward as Kate gave the kid's back a little rub.

"I had no idea you looked so good in purple," she laughed, nodding to the backpack, which he promptly slid off his shoulder and dropped on the couch beside her. "It's not exactly a Euro man-purse."

He shook his head. "You try to do one nice thing for someone…"

"_Thank you_, Tony," she replied, hands sliding around the girl and urging her to sit up a bit. "Nat, this is one of our helpers at work, Tony. Tony, this is Natalie Wright, but we call her 'Nat.'"

Solemn dark eyes looked him up and down, in an eerie imitation of the woman in his lap. God, he wasn't sure if he wanted the little Gibbs to be like the boss or like Kate. Both could be challenging in their own special ways.

He stepped in front of the pair and held out his hand. "Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo."

She shrank back against Kate, who shifted her a little on her lap. "Rough day and a half. She's been through a lot, Tony. Not every woman swoons at your feet. It took her almost a full day to warm up to Abby."

"Tony!" the goth exclaimed, rushing into the room and practically tackling him.

"Ugh, hey, Abs," he gasped out, taking a half step back to steady himself and keep both of them from ending up on the ground. "Brought some stuff for the rugrat."

"Oooh! Nat, c'mere, let's see!" When the little girl didn't budge from her spot on Kate's lap, Abby launched into action instead. She took the bag and plopped down beside them, pulling out the items inside. She held up some coloring books, DVDs, and a ragged looking puppy that Natalie immediately reached for, cuddling it close with the bunny already in her arms.

"There's another bag, oh and I brought some food," he added, watching Kate close to gauge her for signs of not feeling well. "Um… Mexican."

"Thanks, Tony," Kate called. "See if L.J. needs help getting lunch ready. We'll be there in a minute."

NCIS * NCIS * NCIS * NCIS * NCIS

"No!" Natalie protested, stamping one booted foot as she stood in the foyer area. "Wanna play in _front_!"

Kate bit back a sigh and tried to shift enough in the snow clothes to kneel down. It was cumbersome—her old skiing outfit was a little snug across her middle, and it was very hot to wear inside the house. Ten minutes ago she, Natalie, and one of their agents thought they were ready to go. And then Natalie had promptly announced that she had to go potty.

Now they were ready to go, except for the _small_ problem that Natalie was insisting on playing in the front yard. "The front yard is a lot smaller and not flat enough for a snowman. We'll have _so_ much more fun in the back," Kate reasoned. They had successfully made it through lunch, which Kate had found delicious and had found herself slightly mortified when she realized she had plowed through five tamales, rice, beans, and two flour tortillas all by herself. Now, with the little girl's increasing crankiness, she wondered if they might have been better off to try this after a nap.

"No, there," Natalie insisted, stomping both feet this time, arms crossed as best she could with the puffy coat. She looked a little comical with only one hand encased in a mitten; her injured arm was wrapped in a plastic bread sack to keep the cast dry and one of Gibbs's old tube socks for warmth.

Abby stepped forward now, trying to reason as well. "It'll be fun out back. Plus, they can pull you on the sled without having to worry about cars. I promise, it's way better." She would have joined them outside, too, but she wanted to get cracking on the computer. She wanted Natalie out of the room, too, when she started digging through pictures and files.

The little girl shook her head hard, tears of frustration welling up now. "No! NO! Wanna go _there_," she jabbed toward the front door and tried to pull on the handle, even though she couldn't have managed to unlock the deadbolt, even if her mittened and quasi-mittened hands would have give her leverage to twist the knob.

Kate moved forward, an arm gently sliding around Natalie and pulling her back. "Honey, please, it'll be fun in the back. It's out back or we stay inside." She wasn't going to budge on this. Out front was much too risky. They were much more visible, there wasn't much of a yard for Natalie to play in, and the street was much too close for her liking. The backyard with its patio was the best option for some fresh air. "Are you still feeling bad?" Maybe they'd pushed this too soon and would do better to try again tomorrow.

"Wanna go _out front_!" Natalie shrieked in protest, writhing in Kate's arms to get free. She twisted, booted foot wriggling between her and the woman trying to contain her and starting to push.

Two strong hands slid under Natalie's armpits and lifted her swiftly away before she could make another move. Stern, sharp blue eyes peered into smaller brown ones that were opened wide. "Hey, hold still," he instructed in a cool, even voice.

Natalie swallowed, bottom lip trembling a little as her body relaxed.

Gibbs slowly lowered her so that her feet were touching the floor. His hands stayed where they were, keeping Natalie still as he knelt beside his wife. "Kate, you okay?"

"Fine," she answered easily, taking the hand up that Abby offered and standing from the uncomfortable position.

"Nat, we care about you a lot, but it's not okay to kick someone. Do you understand me?"

The dark head, topped with a red knit cap bobbed solemnly.

"That's my wife, and I love her very much, and it's not okay to kick or hurt her or any of my friends." He motioned Kate a little closer and resting his hand on the curve of her belly. "Inside here is a little baby that's growing, and that our baby, and we want to keep it safe. So it's really important not to kick or hit."

Natalie nodded again, a few tears slipping out. She rubbed at them with a fist and sniffled. "Sorry," she whispered.

"I know you are," he assured, giving her a hug and helping straighten her cap and wipe her face dry with his sleeve. "We want to have some fun, but we need to be safe. So you can choose: play in the back or stay inside. That's it. Understand?"

She nodded again.

"Which one, Nat?" he asked gently, making Kate grateful that he was so good at this. One look, a few quick words, and he had diffused the impending melt down.

"Outside," she whispered.

"In the back yard," Kate reminded softly.

"Backyard," she agreed, reaching for Kate's gloved hand, which she quickly offered.

"Good choice, kiddo," he murmured, patting her shoulder and standing with a little grimace. His wife knew his bad knee was giving him grief with this snow storm. He paused a moment to drop a kiss to Abby's cheek and a peck to his wife's lips. "Half an hour tops, don't over do it. I'll have some hot chocolate ready when it's time to come in."

"We'll be careful," Kate promised, leading their small charge toward the back, knowing he had already tossed some ice-melt pellets on the patio before lunch. The outdoors would be a nice way to keep Natalie from overhearing the updates he would be getting from the hospital and some of the more sensitive conversations he needed to have. He could fill her in later during nap time.

She stifled a yawn and stuck her tongue out at Abby when the goth noticed the sign of tiredness and gave her a smug smile. Okay, maybe he could fill her in after her own nap this afternoon.

"Kate?" a little voice asked, Natalie's hand tugging hers slightly to emphasize her need for attentnion.

"Yeah?" the agent asked, pausing at the backdoor while their protection unlocked the door and did a quick visual check.

"How'd the baby get inside you?"

Gibbs's laugh filled the kitchen as they slipped out the backdoor.

_Well, _Kate told herself, _at least she's not throwing a temper tantrum any more_. "Well, um, it's… hey, let's make a snowman."

"Can it have a baby in its tummy, too?"

Kate sighed and shrugged as she exchanged glances with their accompanying agent. "Why not."


	9. Chapter 9

_And on with the fic. Enjoy. Thanks for all the awesome comments._

Gibbs woke suddenly, his breath catching, eyes squinting in the dark room. Something, _something_ had pulled him out of sleep, and his first thought was Kate. Reaching beside him, he felt the empty spot, though the sheets still held a little warmth. One hand rubbed at his face, the other pushed back covers. Scooping up his gun on the nightstand, he padded silently toward their adjoining bathroom first.

The weapon was comforting in his grip, although he reminded himself to be extra careful with it. It wasn't a normal night, with only him and his wife. There was Natalie, Abby, and at least two agents downstairs.

Carefully stepping over the creaky spot in the floorboard, he slipped into the hallway and paused to listen. A soft cry came from down the hall, and he slipped past the stairs and eased the door to the nursery open.

Kate was sitting on the futon that once held place in her old apartment. She was wrapped in her robe, hair a mess of tangles, arms full of a sobbing little girl. "Sssh, sweetheart, it's okay," she murmured over the cries, one hand rubbing the girl's back.

"M-momma… wan' momma!" came the protest, punctuated by sniffles and hiccups, culminating in a wail.

"Ssssh, please… Nat, she's getting help. And I've got you, I promise, sweet girl." Kate was starting to sound a little frantic herself, trying to shift the girl who would have none of the comfort.

"Ma-aaah-mma," Natalie protested again, coughing and making a wet noise that had Kate shifting her upright.

Gibbs cross the room, sliding the safety back on his gun and setting it on the floor by their feet before taking a seat beside the girls on the bed. "How long?" he asked, unable to believe he'd slept through this and wondering why she hadn't wakened him to help. Kate needed to be resting, not dealing with… this.

Weary amber eyes met his, and she sighed, patting Natalie's back as the girl continued to beg for her mother. "Half an hour, I think?"

He glanced around again, spying Burt the Hippo on the floor. "Abs?"

"I sent her to get a cup of water. I think Natalie's about to make herself sick, but she won't calm down," Kate admitted, looking a little emotionally wrung out herself. Taking a deep breath, she shifted the girl again, her lips next to the small shell of an ear. "Sssssh… sssshhh, it's okay, sweetie. You're okay."

Gibbs reached out, one hand rubbing Natalie's back in an attempt to soothe her, the other hand rubbing Kate's. "C'mere," he said quietly, trying to take Natalie.

The girl squirmed away, head shaking so hard she nearly bumped her head into Kate's face. "Want MOMMA!" She pushed again, squirming hard and then going limp and whimpering when she couldn't get free from the arms around her.

"L.J., get some sleep," Kate urged. "You've got plenty of work tomorrow, especially if you want to try to get into the office."

His head shook. "Nah, if you're up, I'll stay up."

Her head tilted, even as she tried to shift Natalie again, the girl's cries softer but still catching. The kid was a snotty mess, and he hoped she didn't choke or throw up. "This isn't gonna work. We have to work out something here," Kate protested. "What happens when ours comes along? We can't _both_ get up every time. That doesn't even make sense."

"We'll figure it out," he promised, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "And _you_ need rest, too."

"Hey," Abby called softly from the door, giving them a small smile and offering up the cup of water and holding up a little bottle. "Maybe this'll help."

Gibbs took the pills. "Thanks, Abs." He perched beside his wife and caressed Natalie's head. "Hey, kiddo, look up at me."

Shadowed eyes lifted, tears still dripping down her cheeks. "Momma?" she whimpered.

"Is your arm hurting?" he asked gently, using his thumb to brush away the tears.

"Yuh," she sighed, sniffling and giving another little hitched sob.

He offered up two chewable aspirin and then a drink of water. "Ready to go back to sleep now?"

Natalie shook her head then nodded, tears welling up again. When Kate shifted her against her shoulder, she curled close out of instinct. Natalie's head plunked against the shoulder, and she gave a little sigh before going limp.

"C'mon," Gibbs urged quietly, cupping an arm under his wife's elbow and helping her up as she still held the little girl.

"Where…" Kate asked, glancing between him and Natalie in her arms.

"Compromise," he replied, giving Abby a soft goodnight before leading the other two back to the master bedroom. "You calm keep calming her down—she's just about out. And if she's up early, I'll get up with her so you can sleep in."

Kate nodded, agreeing and letting him help her settle into their bed. She winced as Natalie shifted sleepily in her arms, a small elbow pushing against her chest. "Ow," she hissed softly.

He bit back the smile. She was tender lately, sometimes going so far as to sleep in her sports bra for the extra support. It took a few moments, a little adjusting, until she finally relaxed into the pillows and let her eyes slide shut, hand still rubbing slowly over Natalie's back as the little girl drifted closer toward her own sleep.

NCIS * NCIS * NCIS * NCIS* NCIS

"Abby?" Kate called, coming into the lab and glancing around as she spotted the goth but not the little girl that should have been there, too.

"Hey," Abby replied quietly, nodding toward her office where Natalie was curled up on the futon with Burt and her two stuffed animals. "She's been out for half an hour."

Kate studied the small figure for long moments, shifting uncertainly before she pulled out a stool and got comfortable. "What did you find?"

Abby chewed her bottom lip and glanced between screens, stalling. That was never a good sign. "It's… well… not good."

"Yeah," Kate sighed. "I was afraid of that." She offered up the Caf-Pow that her husband had somehow managed to find, despite the snowy streets and mostly closed businesses.

Abby took a long sip, then set it down and typed in a string of something on her keyboard. "Okay… Angela Wright was definitely onto something hinky. She has several files of pictures, under some good old-school encryptions. It's, well… I don't know if this is something Ziva can interpret or not…" Another tap of the keys, and she had the screens filled with documents in a mix of German and Arabic script. "Unless you speak…"

"French," Kate sighed. "And some Latin. This," she waved at the screen, "I don't know what it means, but it doesn't look good."

"Yeah," Abby agreed, bringing up a file and opening it. "These pictures suggest a lot. Looks like she was spying on some meetings, storing up pictures. Evidence." Turning to regard her friend, green eyes wide, Abby added, "I think she was hoping to take down the cell."

Kate nodded. "I finally reached her boss, and he said that she had Sunday off. Several of her friends said she's been acting strangely lately—withdrawn, secretive, but that she's asked them to watch Natalie more often than usual." She suddenly realized that Abby was fidgeting. "What?"

"That's not the worst of it," Abby admitted. She picked up the remote to the screen and clicked forward. "She was in touch with NSA. Monday morning she had a meeting, and I'm betting it had to do with that stuff."

"FBI was looking into it, too," Gibbs spoke up from the doorway with Ducky beside him. He glanced at the screens. "That can't be good."

"_Sprechen Sie Deutsch, _Gibbs?" Abby asked.

His silver head shook. "No. Russian, yes," Gibbs sighed. "French. Basic Spanish…"

"I know that," Ducky intoned, slipping past them to peer more closely at the documents. When Abby relinquished the remote, he switched back and forth between several in German.

"You speak German?" Abby asked in surprise, moving close to join their M.E. at the monitors.

"A bit. I don't recognize some of this, but that," he emphasized, poking at _kleines Madchen_, "Is German for _little girl_."

Kate turned as Abby did to regard the small figure curled on the futon, figure almost lost under the large NCIS jacket.

_Kate came to a sudden stop at her husband's desk, glancing between the adults working steadily. Ziva's was the only one empty—she was still at Ducky's, ordered to get some extra rest, keep him off the streets, and continue working her contacts through the international intelligence communities. _

_Her husband offered up a nutrition bar as he finished the call, giving her a measuring look. She was grudgingly getting used to that look these days—placated that he was trying not to be overprotective. And trying to remember that she was pretty hormonal these days, privately trying not to over-react when he suggested an extra snack or that she wrap up her day early._

"_Where's Nat?" she asked, glancing around again. "With Abby?"_

_Gibbs nodded behind him, and Kate rounded the corner of his desk to spy the child lying on the ground, slightly curled on her side, his NCIS jacket draped over her._

_Kate leaned back against his desk, her hand squeezing his forearm lightly. "She looks exhausted."_

"_Crying half of the night will do that," Gibbs agreed, judiciously choosing not to add any more comments about the others who were up with a crying kid. "She looks like you when she sleeps like that."_

_Kate nodded, letting herself muse for a little bit. It hadn't escaped her notice that the little girl did bear a resemblance to her. The security guard downstairs did a double take when they made it in this morning, and even Abby had commented. "It's going to be hard to walk away after this one, L.J."_

"_Yeah," he agreed with a sigh before deciding that they had some calls to make, and he didn't want to risk Natalie waking up and overhearing. He had carefully picked up her and the stuffed rabbit she'd dragged to work, moving her downstairs in finish her nap._

Kate's eyes narrowed as she saw the same German words scattered through out other documents. "I want to find this bastard and cut off his—"

The ringing phone interrupted her, and she paused as Gibbs fished it out and answered.

"Yeah, Gibbs," he clipped, brow creasing as intense blue eyes flickered over the correspondence still displayed on the screen. "Yeah… let us know. Talk to our M.E. It'll be less explaining," he sighed, voice tight, letting Kate know almost immediately that the news was anything but good as he handed over the phone to Ducky.

"What happened?" she asked, swallowing hard. When he didn't say anything immediately, a thought settled in her mind. "Angela Wright."

"Slipped into a coma. Doctor says she's developing a chest infection. He think it's only a matter of time," he sighed.

"Pneumonia, most likely," Ducky agreed, handing the phone back to Gibbs.

Abby's hand was over her mouth, the tears already welling up. "What… what do we do? Gibbs, she's only three!"

"We get her next of kin out here," he sighed, pulling Abby in for a hug, exchanging a sympathetic glance with his wife. "And until then, we take care of her."


	10. Chapter 10

_This story will probably be wrapping up soon. Thank you all for so faithfully following. The follows and likes surprise me all the time, and I do treasure the comments. My summer has been extremely challenging, so I apologize for the long time between updates._

"Kate?"

Simply hearing the comforting voice on the other line had Kate swallowing hard around the thick emotions. Her gaze drifted to the little girl still curled up on the futon in Abby's office, still sleeping so hard and completely unaware of the ways in which her world was changing.

"Kate, sweetie?"

"Hey," Kate finally rasped, clearing her throat and trying again. "I'm… sorry about that. I'm here. I… I'm here."

"What's wrong?" There was no fooling Rachel, and her big sister had always been like that. Any time Kate was upset, Rachel seemed to have insight into it. And as annoying at it could be to have so many older siblings, there was a certain comfort in having someone who knew her so well. "It's not… the baby, is it?"

Her hand slid to her belly as she answered. "No, baby's fine," she sighed, finding a stool and taking a seat. "It's hard to explain, but I'm not sure what to do."

"Did Gibbs do something?" came the next question, voice low and protective.

"No," Kate snapped. "Are we going into this again? Because you should know what first of all, he would never—_ever —_hurt me intentionally. And secondly, you should know me well enough to know I wouldn't put up—"

"Hey, woah… I, stop… Kate, that's not what I meant," came her sister's voice, stopping her before she decided to hang up. "What's wrong?"

"It's sort of a long story," she sighed, settling down again, gaze flickering again to Natalie's curled form. "We've been taking care of a little girl for a few days now. I can't… give out a lot of details, but she and her mother were in a car wreck."

"And you're attached," came the casual observation.

Kate resisted the urge to roll her eyes. _You would say the same thing, and you know it's true. _They both tended to psycho-analyze everything. "That's not why I called, but yes. What I was _going_ to say is that her mother isn't doing well. Next of kin is coming as soon as the airports open again, but this girl doesn't really know her extended family at all. And her mother probably won't live much longer."

The soft sigh told Kate that her sister finally understood the gravity of the situation. "How old is the girl?"

"Three," the special agent answered, rubbing at her eyes as they started tearing up. "Right now we've told her that the doctors are trying to help her mother, that she has to stay at the hospital for help. But that's not cutting it. She was up half the night crying."

"And you want to give her…"

"Closure. Some comfort. Anything to … help her with this. But she's only three, and I don't know how much she really understands…" Her thumb traced over her belly, and she ached for Angela Wright, too, who never got to say goodbye to her little girl.

"I'm sorry, baby sister," Rachel tried to soothe. "Would the hospital even let her into the room?"

"We can make it happen, but _should_ we let her? She's a smart little girl, but, Rachel…"

"Take a deep breath, and slow it down," her sister soothed.

With a little huff, she complied, taking another breath and letting it out slowly. She closed her eyes for a moment and when she opened them again, the sight before her made her sigh.

Natalie was sitting up on the cushions, tangled in Gibbs's coat and hair a mess. Big tears were streaking down her cheeks. "Momma?"

"Rach, I have to go. She's awake again… and crying."

"Call me later," Rachel begged. "And be there for her until then. Be honest. Don't tell her that her mom's going to a 'better place,' or anything vague like that. It just confuses kids."

"Okay, thanks," Kate murmured, opening up the glass door to the office area.

"Love you," Rachel slipped the words in before they were disconnected.

"Love you, too," she told her sister before pocketing the phone and kneeling down beside Natalie. "C'mere, baby," she murmured. Kate gathered the girl into her arms and took a seat in Abby's chair. She smoothed her fingers through the little girl's hair as she rocked the chair slowly side to side. "Ssssh, it's okay."

Red-rimmed brown eyes lifted, and she hiccupped. "Wh-where's momma?"

"She's really sick, Nat. Remember, she had to stay in the hospital." Kate swallowed hard, stomach flipping at the news that she was struggling with relating. "Do you remember your grandma? Your momma's momma?"

The little brow wrinkled, and she shrugged slightly. "Dunno."

"She's coming to see you. To help look after you. L.J. went to see if he can help her come here faster."

"An," Natalie sniffled hard and hiccupped again, "An' then I'll go see momma?"

"Your momma's very sick. I don't know what's going to happen, but you're going to stay with me and with L.J. until your grandma gets here, okay?"

The small head shook against her, and Natalie hiccupped and sniffled again. "I wanna see momma."

"I don't know what's going to happy, sweetheart, but I'm here, okay?" It wasn't okay. It would never be okay, and Kate felt her own tears welling up. She took a shaky breath, trying hard not to put her own emotions on top of Natalie's heavy load. "Are you hungry?"

Natalie gave another little shrug and sniffled against Kate's shoulder.

Kate rubbed her back slowly, and managed to stand. They both needed something to eat, even if she wasn't especially hungry, either. As they made their way through the lab, she passed Abby on the way to the elevator. "Call upstairs, let them know we're coming up." The last thing they needed was Natalie to see pictures of the accident on the monitor or overhear conversations.

"I will," Abby promised, reaching to give Natalie's back a soft rub as they passed. "Anything else I can do?"

Kate slipped into the elevator and shifted her hold, freeing up one of her hands. Her eyebrows lifted in question and she carefully finger-spelled _a m-i-r-a-c-l-e_?

Abby's eyes crinkled in concern, frowning and pulling her hand into a fist and circling it over her chest, _sorry_, as the door to the elevator closed.


	11. Chapter 11

Gibbs sipped his coffee and watched as the bridge extended to connect to the plane that had pulled up a few minutes ago. It was nearly nine in the evening, and Dulles had opened during the afternoon, various government agencies struggled onward, though most businesses were still closed. He hoped Kate would be headed for bed soon, but he doubted it. At best, she would fall asleep on the couch waiting for him and woman he was about to meet.

"_I still don't know if this is a good idea," Kate murmured under her breath as the elevator dinged to announce their arrival on the third floor of the hospital. I.C.U. She hesitated a moment before wrapping her hand a little tighter around Natalie's and letting the little girl set the pace down the quiet floor._

_He didn't know if it was a good idea, either, so he simply took her other hand and fell in step, thumb lightly stroking the back of her hand. _

_When they finally reached a little sitting area, Kate paused and helped Natalie take a seat. She settled into the chair beside her, leaving one on the other side for him. "Nat, we're about to visit your mom, but remember what we said?"_

"_She's not 'wake," the girl recited, the little brow lining in serious thought. "And has thingy … help her take breaths."_

"_That's right," Kate softly replied. "We'll pull a chair up to her bed so that you can see her better, but she's in a special bed, and you can't climb into it. There will be some machines around her that beep, too."_

_The little head nodded in understanding. "Can I…" She started to ask, then glanced between the two adult, fingers playing nervously with her sock monkey that had tagged along._

_It reminded him of the uncertain way she had tugged on Kate's arm the last two nights, waking in the middle of the night and wanting to sleep with them. When Kelly was small, he had let her sleep in bed with him and with Shannon. It hadn't happened all the time, but whenever he had recently returned or was up for deployment, they had sleepovers. Shannon was a little more firm about it, but he wasn't about to say no to Natalie. Kate hadn't had the heart to say no, either._

"_What do you want, kiddo?" he gently urged, his hand resting on Natalie's shoulder and welcoming her in his arms when she climbed over the arm of the well-worn chairs and snuggled close. _

"_Give momma kiss?"_

_He couldn't bring himself to look at Kate when he gave a raspy, "Yeah."_

The first few people off the plane were rumpled looking businessmen, regulars no doubt from first class and business class. Each had his or her own carry-ons, compact and all the luggage needed. No doubt they were bypassing luggage claim and headed straight to shuttles and car rental counters. A few families struggled out, all looking tired and relieved to be in D.C. He was sure they had been stuck in various airports or over-crowded hotels for the last few days.

If he hadn't gotten confirmation a few hours before, he might be tempted to think that Lorraine Wright wasn't on board. But when after the couple who looked like they'd had a rough few days and possibly a fight on the plane, he finally spotted the woman he was expecting. A final sip, and he tossed the cup in a trash can and moved to intersect. "Ms. Wright? Agent Gibbs," he said, offering to take her carry on bag as he nodded toward baggage claim.

"Thank you," she murmured, voice as thin and tired as she looked. "Call me Lori," she answered in a quiet drawl. The woman before him was average height, average build, and wearing non-descript clothes—jeans and a long-sleeved shirt with department store coat draped over her arm. She could have been from any small to mid-size down throughout the Midwest, and she might have even passed for any of the people he knew back in Stillwater.

As they fell in step, she glanced over at him. "Where's Natalie?"

"At my home, with my wife. We made up the spare room for you," he explained in his usual brief number of words. "It's Nat."

Lori cut short her yawn and glanced at him in confusion. "I'm sorry?"

"Nat. She likes to be called 'Nat,'" he clarified, nodding toward luggage claim where suitcases were already making their sluggish way around the carousel. Despite the fact that flights were finally coming in, the crowd had thinned. "What did you bring?"

"That black bag with the blue tag," she answered, pointing at one coming around the far side.

Gibbs trekked quickly to it and was glad to find it had wheels. He set it down and gestured with a crooked finger. "Hospital?"

She nodded, tugging on her coat, pausing to zip it up and flip up the hood against the cold north wind before following him silently to the car.

NCIS * NCIS * NCIS * NCIS * NCIS

_Kate lifted the hammer and checked again to be sure the nail was straight before she began the monotonous job. It rapped on again and again, and she finally drove it fully into the wood before selecting yet another nail, nailing another board together. Around her was the endless project, pieced together slowly and many, many pieces left to go._

_With a sigh, she stretched, trying to ignore her aching back before she lifted the hammer and tapped away at another nail._

She wasn't sure what time it was when she finally woke, but Kate knew she was regretting falling asleep on the couch. Gibbs had told her not to wait up, but they both knew she wasn't going to listen. Carefully she stretched, finally realizing that she wasn't alone. Curled up against her, stuffed animals cuddled close and her thumb in her mouth, was Natalie. She hadn't even realized when the little girl joined her.

With a big yawn, Kate fished around for her phone and double checked her gun. _God, Natalie could have gotten a hold of it_. The thought made her feel a little sick. She was used to sleeping with a weapon nearby, and her husband tended to do the same. They needed to talk about it soon because she didn't like the possibilities that her mind was exploring.

Scooping up her phone, she frowned at the missed call. Tony.

Eleven sixteen at night wasn't really the time she would choose to talk to DiNozzo. Even if he was nicer since finding out she was pregnant, protective almost, and very charming toward Natalie… But he wouldn't call if it wasn't important. And if he wanted Gibbs, he would have called Gibbs. Her thumb slid over the call button when she heard the soft noise behind her. Almost as smoothly as she would stand, Kate had her gun in her hand and aimed for the thing behind her.

"Woah," Tony murmured softly, both hands up, showing his palms. "Guess you didn't read the text… the agents let me in."

Kate took in a slow breath and let it out, sinking back onto the couch and lowering the gun with a shaking hand. "God… you… I could've…"

"Nah, I move fast. Very Special Agents can dodge bullets," Tony tried to joke.

She tossed a throw pillow at him, almost regretting it when Natalie started to stir a little and then settled again. "They better be good at carrying little kids to bed. Take her upstairs to the master bedroom. And then talk."

"Kate, I had to come. Heidegger was spotted in town, he's under watch, but it's hard to track him."

Her head shook sharply, hand coming up to cover his mouth. "Shut. Up. Ger her upstairs in bed, and _then_ we'll talk," she hissed, glaring at him.


	12. Chapter 12

_Thank you, faithful readers. Trying to get back into writing regularly. I feel like it's the same mantra, but it's very true… my work life is taking over my free time. Hoping things calm down, or at least that I can keep carving out time to write. Enjoy._

Kate grumbled sleepily and curled, body shifting from something trying to drag it out of sleep. As she turned, she caught his familiar scent in the pillow, breathing it in and snuggling closer into the comfort.

_His lips clung to hers, moving slowly, taking full lingering kisses and pulling back only long enough for her to catch gasps of oxygen as her body gradually gave way to a pleasant tiredness. One callused hand stroked slowly from her hip to the small of her back, the other running the nape of her neck, lifting the tresses to let the room's air cool her._

_Kate was the first to pull back this time, smiling drowsily at his grunt of protest. As he shifted, her leg tightened a little, keeping them still. "Wanna stay like this for now," she murmured into the crook of his neck. She felt, rather than heard his agreement, those lips now dropping a kiss to the top of her head, arms banding around to help her relax comfortably against him._

_Her husband's hand finally slid over her hip again, brushing against the gentle curve pressing ever so slightly against his stomach. "Love you both."_

"_We love you, too," she answered, taking a deep breath and taking a moment to tuck this into memory._

Something pressed against her again, and Kate instinctively moved a second time, a shifting of covers and something else dragging her finally from sleep. Blinking in the low light of the room, only a little morning light barely filtering through the half-closed curtains, Kate spied a small guest kneeling beside her.

"Kay-kay," Natalie whispered, lightly poking one little finger against Kate's side.

"Heeeyyy," she murmured, rubbing her eyes and pulling the covers closer for a minute before she realized that she was wearing the oversized NIS shirt. L.J. had started to pull it off, when she reminded him, between kisses, of their guests. _"I swear, the door's locked,"_ he had teased with a little tap to the exact spot on her butt where her tattoo still remained. Vaguely she remembered that he had wrangled her into it before slipping out of bed a while ago. She had protested tiredly, but now realized she would have to make it up to him.

Natalie was still her footie pajamas—an outrageous pair of back ones with white skulls with pink bows. Kate had been a little aghast when she saw what Abby had found, not wanting to offend the goth but not sure how the three year old would feel. Natalie, however, had fallen in love with them immediately and insisted on an early bath so she could put them on. It was clear, however, that Natalie's grandmother wasn't sure _what_ to think.

"Need you awaked up," the little girl protested, poking at Kate again, a little firmer, though not enough to hurt.

A quick yawn, and Kate was awake enough to realize that Gibbs was not in here. As she pushed herself into sitting, she also realized that whatever Natalie had to say was going to have to wait just a few minutes. "I'm awake," she answered, patting the bed beside her to coax the little girl away from the edge. "Can you sit here a minute, and I'll be right back?"

The dark head nodded, and she let Kate pull the covers around her. With a gentle ruffle to the bed-head the girl was sporting, Kate turned to the adjoining bathroom. A few minutes later, she returned in a pair of flannel pajama pants she'd unearthed from the hamper and her robe.

Natalie looked a little drowsy, but also very serious. One finger was tracing the idle pattern of a wrinkle in the bedspread.

"What's wrong, Nat?" she asked gently, climbing in and fluffing up a few pillows for back support.

The little girl crawled into her lap and burrowed in. "Wanna stay with you."

Kate swallowed hard, not sure if it was easier or harder that this kid was getting straight to the point. It was eerily like her husband. "Your grandma is a very nice lady. I know you don't really remember her, but she loves you a lot."

"But… innnastayhere," came the protest, muffled into the soft fabric of Kate's robe.

Her fingers stroked through the tangled hair, careful not to pull. "I'm sorry," she whispered, feeling her own tears slide down her cheek. She bit back the word she wanted to say. The ones that had been in her husband's eyes the night before when he climbed into bed.

_Kate set down the books she was reading and pulled back the corner of the covers in invitation. "Long day," she murmured, giving his hand a sympathetic squeeze._

_The morning had started with a reunion, once everyone woke up. They had attempted brunch, with Natalie pointedly asking to sit by Kate and Gibbs and watching Lori warily. After that, she'd gone with their protection detail to NCIS to get some work done and to leave Natalie in the care of Abby and Tony while Gibbs and Lori returned to the hospital to begin the process of completing a lot of paperwork and to get a dismal update on Angela's status: critical._

"_I wish it was easier," Kate had sighed when he climbed in beside her and stretched out on his back with a grunt. "I wish…" The words had trailed off, and his tired eyes lifting up to meet hers. And she knew. He wished at least as much as she did… but they couldn't._

Red-rimmed eyes lifted from the robe, and Natalie sniffled. "I'll be _good_," she promised solemnly, then pleading.

Kate caught her thin shoulders and made sure she had eye contact. "Nat, you _are_ a very good girl. But you still have family that loves you. Your grandma and some aunts and uncles that live near her. You wouldn't ever get to see them and know them and let them love you if you stayed here."

Natalie sniffled, her bottom lip poking out stubbornly. "She… she smells funny."

The agent's mouth twitched as she tried not to smile at the comment. It was reaching, and the girl was trying for anything right now. "It's not nice to say that about someone. Her perfume is lavender, and it's a very nice smell."

"She doesn't telled the story right," Natalie whispered.

Lori had attempted bed time last night. Kate, after a consultation with Rachel, felt it was best to start letting Lori assume the more direct parenting role. She was the legal guardian, after all. Natalie had thrown a fit, refusing either of the books she had wanted to hear over and over the night before. After an exhausting forty minutes, Natalie had fallen to sleep, exhausted by her own tantrum. Lori had seen herself to bed shortly after.

"You have to help big people sometimes," Kate explained gently, tucking a wild lock of hair behind Natalie's ears. "Help her learn which stories. Hey," she carefully slid a finger under the stubborn chin and urged it up a bit. "Remember with Abby?"

She shook her head, confused.

"At first you didn't like Abby. You wanted to go out front when she wanted to go out back, and you didn't think her snowman was right. You wouldn't talk to her or play with her. But then you got to know her, and you like her a lot."

"Uh-huh," Natalie agreed with a sniffle. "We maded break…break… panacakes and she gotted me this," she poked at her pajamas.

"It's like that, honey. Sometimes you need to give someone a little more time, be nice to them and give them a chance before you decide you don't like it. And when you go with your grandma, if you ever need to talk, she has my number, and she'll let us talk, okay?"

Natalie's lips pressed into a thin line, but she didn't push the point further for now, and Kate took it as a truce for the moment. It didn't take too much coaxing to get out of bed and make their way to the kitchen to find some breakfast.

It took extra time to get out the door, Lori managing to coax Natalie into picking out clothes and pack up a little bag of activities before the women headed out for the Navy Yard with Gibbs to follow later. Lori's attempts at small talk with her granddaughter fell flat, but Kate tried to give an encouraging smile. She sighed to herself. They had a long way to go.


	13. Chapter 13

_Onward we go. Still have a few more chapters left in this one. Thank you to all of you who faithfully review. It really means so much to me._

"Hey," Gibbs murmured as he set a cup of hot cocoa into his wife's hands and took a seat on the thinly padded chair beside her. His gaze strayed to the agent at the end of the hallway, the man giving him a short nod that all was well.

She took it with a soft thanks, pulling off the lid to let it cool for a few moments. "What did Tony say?"

His head shook slightly. "Wasn't DiNozzo. Fornell."

Her nose wrinkled slightly at the name, and it made the corner of his mouth almost quirk into a smile. He and the Fed had an understanding, and they were more alike than either of them would care to admit. Kate had grudgingly admitted that he wasn't that bad, but she still remained wary. "What did he have to say?"

"Can't, yet," came his short answer, head shaking slightly to one side, expression guarded. FBI, TSA, and the rest of the alphabet soup was arguing over jurisdiction, and he was about to be pissed if the guy that did this got away with it all because no one could screw their head on straight long enough to do something. His gaze flickered to the room nearby. "They're both in there?"

"Mhmm," Kate hummed as she took a cautious sip of her drink. She shifted in her chair, swallowing a mouthful and getting that uncertain look on her face that set him on edge these days.

"Kate?" he asked, not sure if she was going to settle or if he should do something. Something like grab a trashcan. His eyes were flickering around the room in case one was needed.

Her head shook, and she shifted again and then a third time before catching his arm as he tried to rise. "Where are you going?"

His mouth opened, closed, and then he settled on a reply. "You okay?"

"Yeah," came her slow answer, in a way that sounded like a _no_. When he leaned in a little closer, she sighed. "My back is achy. I don't know if I slept weird, or it's these chairs. Or this," she added, rubbing a hand over her belly.

"Or all of it," he suggested, sliding a hand to her back and pressing slowly against her lower back in offered comfort. The heel of his palm dug a little deeper, working at the tight muscles there. Gibbs could tell it wasn't comfortable, feeling the way she stiffened and clenched her jaw. "Is this helping at all?"

Kate gave a small shrug, though she didn't pull away from his touch. It sometimes amazed him, the level of trust she had with him. He had been convinced that he didn't deserve it with his history with women. God only knew what made her take the risk. Kate was the skeptical one with two long streaks of feminist and stubborn self-reliance.

And now, she was not only with him, but giving him yet another chance. The chance to be a father again. He would be lying if he hadn't thought about it off and on since he lost his girls. It just never felt right with the others. Between the two of them, he and Kate had discussed it a few times. He knew she wanted a child. It had been a surprise to both of them—they had decided months ago to stop birth control and see what happened. Seven months later it had.

His hand slid a little lower, and she made a different noise, squirming a bit from his touch.

"What?" he asked, the movement pulling him from his thoughts.

"It's… nothing," she lied badly.

"Kate…"

"I just need to you to not touch me like _that_, you know… here," she whispered, face flushing slightly.

It made him smirk, and he couldn't help but chuckle when she gave him a light elbow to his side. Yeah, this was his Kate. Still a little prudish, and he couldn't help but feel a little ego boost that he could still embarrass her like that. Not that he meant to, but … The vibrating cellphone in his pocked stopped any further musings on the subject. Scowling at the name on the screen, he flipped it open with a clipped, "Gibbs."

"Heidegger's was seen with in a block of the hospital, but they lost him. I have agents coming over, setting up surveillance," Fornell started without any introduction. And Gibbs was thankful because anything else would have been a waste of time. He immediately pointed to the hospital room door and motioned for Kate.

He stood and shadowed her, his eyes never left her figure as she opened the room and quietly cleared it. In a few moments, they were in the hall again, and he was ending the call. "I'm checking the floor, stay here."

She nodded, hand going to her holster to double check her weapon. Before he slipped into the first room, he saw her already motioning over the nurse on duty, no doubt to alert security and to secure the hall.

It only took a few moments to call in his team, and he continued to clear each room before returning to Kate. "We're locking down the floor. How many more floors above us? One or two?"

"One," she already had the answer.

He nodded shortly. "Stay here, I'm going up to meet security and lock it down. We'll go from the top down."

"I'm coming with you." The words were predictable, and he scowled anyway. The nurse had the sense to back away from the couple, returning to her duty station and, no doubt, filling in the other two nurses with her.

His hand slid to her shoulder giving it a soft squeeze. "I need you here."

She shook her head stubbornly, heels digging in a little as she straightened to her full five feet and seven inches. With her own scowl, she moved closer and protested, "You need back up."

"I _need_ you to do your job, Agent—"

"Don't you dare with the _Agent Todd_," she spat back with all the ire of a pregnant woman and a pissed off feminist. "_Gibbs_," she tossed in for effect, and it struck him that there was a double standard going on here. One he sure as hell wasn't about to waste time addressing. "Kent stays with them, I back you up, and the team and Fornell's people will be here soon."

His eyes narrowed a little, though he shouldn't have been surprised that she would put two and two together so quickly. "Once the team gets here, you go back to Lori and Nat," he lay down the conditions in no uncertain terms.

"Agreed," Kate replied quickly, obviously seizing the opportunity for what it was. He didn't like it, not one bit. The Marine base was coming back with surprising clarity—those gut wrenching moments when she made herself sick with worry, when he almost hurt someone trying to find a tech to get the ultra sound going.

As they reached the stairwell, Kent already stationed squarely in front of Angela Wright's door, he glanced at his wife. "And stay behind me."

"Okay," she agreed, clearing her gun from its holster.

His eyes met hers. "I mean it, Kate. Behind me."

"Okay," she repeated, lips pressing in a thin line and swallowing before they took the stairs up to the top floor. He still didn't like it.


	14. Chapter 14

_I own nothing. Enjoy… I love a good review. Or even a halfway decent shout out._

It was two days before Thanksgiving, she was short a third of the groceries she needed to make food, and Kate was absolutely sure she shouldn't be thinking about any of this right now. As she tried to push away thoughts of cranberry sauce and the stuffing she could really go for, she hurried up the stairwell directly behind her husband. She started scanning the area, glancing down the stairs to see it appeared empty. By now, security should have sealed off of both stair wells.

"Ready?" he asked quietly as he gained the landing.

Kate gained the last step, noticing again that these stairs seemed steeper, a little higher than a normal set. She nodded as she caught her breath for a moment.

Gibbs pulled open the door, glancing around quickly, gun ready though not pointed straight ahead. He nodded the all clear and they stepped through together. "We're clearing it together," he said quietly, flashing his badge at the concerned nurses peeking from around the corner of their desk and waving them back.

"Right behind you," she assured, slipping fully into agent mode as they began methodically going through each room. They slipped in quietly, thankful that most rooms were empty and the few occupied had mostly sleeping patients.

Four doors down, the closet was next, and they cleared it quickly since it wasn't much more than cleaning supplies. It made Kate's nose wrinkle at the strong combination of scents, many that did not mix well. She swallowed hard and pushed it aside, wondering fleetingly how much longer until the FBI or their team arrived.

NCIS * NCIS * NCIS * NCIS* NCIS

"Where is Agent Fornell," Tony demanded as he pushed his way up to the agents doing a very bad job of trying to look inconspicuous at the west entrance to the hospital. He turned slightly to create a space for Ziva to slip through and join him.

"You need to move on, sir," came the dismissal from the agent at the door.

"I _need_ to know where Agent Fornell is," the senior field agent corrected. He dug out his badge. "And you want me to know where Agent Fornell is because otherwise you're going to have deal with my very pissed off boss. This one started out ours."

The agent gave him a one over, and nodded inside. "Near the front entrance, but good luck."

"C'mon," Tony called to Ziva, shouldering his way through and deciding to risk the maze of halls inside. A quick text to the Probie and they were making their way to the front.

An agent stopped them just shy of their goal, and Tony almost smiled when he heard Ziva's stuff growl of irritation beside him.

"Sir, you need to exit. This area is restricted, please return to your designated waiting area," came the warning, hand raising as though it could stop them.

Tony rolled his eyes and pulled out his badge again. This was getting old and fast. "Call Gibbs," he directed to Ziva before stepping between her and the FBI agent. "Special Agent DiNozzo, this is Officer David. We're looking for Special Agent Gibbs and Agent Fornell. Now."

The man's head shook and he smirked. "Fornell's busy, and I don't know your Special whoever."

"Special Agent Jethro Gibbs, head of the Major Case Response Team, NCIS," Tony spat back. "And I don't care what your instructions are. This was ours first. Fornell. Now."

Dark eyes narrowed at him, and for a minute Tony wasn't sure if they were going to brawl it out here or not. Part of him hoped the agent would bring it. The guy was about average size, and it looked to be a decent match up. Worst case, Ziva would bail him out, and they were already in a hospital… but he didn't really have the time for it.

Putting his hand on Ziva's shoulder, he urged her forward as he turned sideways and made a way for them, parting the agents busy talking on their phones.

"Take a left down the hall, but he's not gonna talk to you," the agent called to them, and Tony only barely held enough restraint to throw back some sign language DiNozzo style. Abby had once argued that flipping the bird didn't count as sign language. She'd taught him some pretty colorful phrases, but he had been half-drunk at the time and couldn't remember most of it.

It took some pushing and more or less blowing off a couple of people but once they reached the conference room, everyone more or less assumed they were supposed to be there and left them alone. He pushed the door open without preamble. "Fornell," he called.

The Fed gave him a slight nod to come further inside. "Brought all of Team Gibbs," he clipped, gaze sweeping over the pair behind him—Ziva and McGee, who finally caught up with them.

"Yeah, where's the Boss?" he asked, glancing around the room again, as though it would make Gibbs magically appear, although with Gibbs anything was possible.

Fornell shrugged. "Figured he was with you and you'd all barge in when you were ready."

"Ziva?" he called, not bothering to look in her direction as he eyed Fornell.

"Straight to voicemail," came her short reply. "So much for never being unreachable." He caught something else in Hebrew, muttered half under her breath, and he was again thankful not to know the language. "Call Kate—"

"Ah, can't reach her either," McGee supplied, holding up his phone as though that gave Tony all the answer he needed. "Hers went to voicemail, too, and she hasn't answered the text… you know, in case she's in the room and they're not supposed to have it on—"

Tony glared at their youngest agent, who had the sense to stop talking. "We're going up the room. When was last contact?" He was already heading for the door, a fast walk that was about to become a serious game of dodge-the-feds and a run up the stairs. God, he hated running the stairs almost as much as Gibbs hated going down them.

"Take the west set. Everything else is locked down, emergency personnel only."

With a rough curse, he flung open the door and started the marathon upward.

NCIS * NCIS * NCIS * NCIS * NCIS

He was banging hard on the door, thoroughly pissed by their entire situation. The gravity of it was quickly coming into focus. "Hey! HEY!" he shouted, palm slamming on the unyielding and very solid door yet again before he steeled himself to shoulder it.

"Woah, Stop!" Kate exclaimed, catching his arm and his attention enough to draw him away from a decision he grudgingly admitted that he would have regretted later. She handed over small section of pipe, which he stared at stupid for a full ten seconds before he realized that it was better to use that than to keep banging on a steel door with his own hand. "You're gonna breath something doing that. And then whose hand am I gonna squeeze?"

Shaking his head and turning as he leaned against the door, he gave one loud rap to the portal and dropped the pipe. "Door's out. If anyone was there, they would have heard us by now."

"I know," she agreed, voice going quieter and more serious as she shivered.

He felt the biting wind himself now, and he felt like a bastard. It wasn't snowing, which was a mile relief. The last thing either of them needed was to be cold _and_ wet. He stripped off his sports coat and wrapped it around her.

"You need it, too," she protested, but he held it tightly around her with a firm headshake. "It's maybe a few degrees over freezing. Don't fight me on this, we have better things to do." He pulled her close, tucking her under his arm and offering some core body heat as he began to assess their situation.

They were ten stories off the ground, and on the side of the building. Later he would be angry with himself for letting Kate flank him up here and for following whoever that was out the door in the first place. They had been clearing the rooms and were turning a corner when someone had bolted into the stairwell and out to the roof. Acting on instinct, they had launched into pursuit, which had ended when their guy had launched himself through the door and locked it behind him.

Above them, and on the opposite corner of the hospital, he could see the helo pad. LifeFlight wasn't seeing action right now, and he knew it could be hours, if it happened at all. Not an option. He'd lost his phone in the chase, when their guy had pushed over a pile of pallets, catching him unawares and making him stumble just enough to land on his side and render his phone useless. In anger, he'd slammed the useless pile of circuits and plastic against the wall. Kate's battery was nearly drained, and she didn't have reception.

Okay, the stupid choices hadn't gotten him far. Time to get a plan. "C'mon, and keep your eyes open." He moved them toward a lower structure, which he was hoping was some kind of electrical room. Peering closer, he slapped at the door.

"I think I have a bobby pin," Kate offered, reaching for her hair.

He caught her hand, wincing at how cold her fingers were, even with his jacket sleeve half-covering them. Right now, he would give anything to have coats, something warm for them to drink… or a key. _At least she wore her boot today._ "No good." He pointed at the little metal dot just to the side of the key hole. It was the kind of lock that needed an electronic key thing.

She swallowed and tried to keep that strong face going, but he could see the struggle.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw something else, too. Pulling her gently with him, arm slipping around her again, he led her toward the far structure, tucked up by the building. His hand quickly felt at the metal outside, almost sighing in relief. "Get in here, right by me," he urged, pulling her closer so that she was against the building and him.

"Thank God," she murmured, jaw tensing and taking a few slow breaths to calm herself down as she relaxed for a few moments between the warm spot and him. He wasn't really sure what it was, but right now he didn't care. Heat was heat, and they wouldn't be okay for long without it.


	15. Chapter 15

_Thank you to all my faithful readers and welcome to the new ones. I'm astounded at how many followers I have and how many this story continues to gain. All your reviews have been a delight. We have some chapters still to go on this one..._

"Where's Agent Gibbs?" Tony hissed, pulling Agent Andrew Kent aside once he and Ziva finally reached Angela Wright's room. His gaze swept the corner where Wright was lying on the bed, very still and attached to dozens of machines. Lori had taken up residence in a chair tucked in a corner, away from windows and away from direct sight of the door, Natalie perched in her lap and flipping through a book with a bored expression.

Kent shrugged, turning away from his protectees to shield their conversation. "He went into the stairwell with Agent Todd forty minutes ago, told me to stay here with them. We're fully locked down on this ward."

Tony scowled and checked his phone for the hundredth time as McGee slipped into the room. "He hasn't checked in with us or anyone else. Did he say where he was going?"

The agent shook his head. "No. He's not exactly chatty."

"Yeah," Tony grumbled, glancing to Ziva who gave him a slightly perceptible shake of her head to indicate she still hadn't been able to reach their team leader. He pulled McGee into the conversation. "Any news?"

McGee's gaze flickered to Lori, who looked up and met his eyes starkly. "She… she's declining, and soon. We need to take Natalie out of here."

"This is the most secure area we have," Ziva reminded him curtly.

"And no amount of therapy is gonna fix a kid who finds out she was reading _See Spot Run_ while her mom kicked it two feet away," Tony ground out.

"Who is _Sp_—" Ziva began before being interrupted.

"Ziva, we need to find somewhere else," McGee cut her off, not making eye contact with their senior field agent.

Both agents fell silent now, looking to Tony and glancing occasionally to Natalie. "Kent stays here, guards Wright. We're going to leave it up to the mom, where she wants to go. Either she goes with Natalie down the hall and they eat lunch and lock down in there with you and Ziva, or she splits her time between Natalie and Wright. Ziva, stay with Natalie at all times; McGee with Lori Wright."

The Mossad agent nodded curtly, taking the orders in stride as she squared her shoulders.

Tony started for the door, rolling his eyes as he heard the voice ask behind him.

"Wait, where is he going?" Probie.

"To find Gibbs," Ziva hissed, saving Tony the trouble of having to turn back and answer himself—an answer he was sure he would have punctuated with a head slap.

NCIS * NCIS * NCIS * NCIS * NCIS

Kate shifted slightly, trying to convince herself it was warmer as she tried to snuggle closer to her husband the building they were pressing against. She tried not to think about the cold that was seeping up from the concrete and into her shoes.

His hands rubbed briskely up her arms in an attempt to warm and comfort her. "Talk to me, what's going on in your head," he murmured. Several moments passed, and his hand lifted to her shoulder squeezing it gently. "Hey, Katie."

She shook her head slightly as though to clear it. "I…" The shiver worked its way through her body, and she rested her head against his chest as Kate soaked in the warmth. "I'm okay," she lied badly, taking his hands and rubbing them in her sleeve-encased ones. "A little hungry… but I'll be okay."

"Already ate your granola bar?" he asked, toying with the collar of his jacket that she was wearing, flipping it up to provide more coverage and making her desperately wish for any of her scarves, particularly the deep jade wool scarf. His hand pulled from hers to rub along her back in attempted comfort.

This time her head shook in a 'no,' and she sighed. "But it's in my bag, two floors down by the chairs…" It was stupid to continue talking. She was freezing, growing slowly hungrier, and another need was making itself known, making her shift from foot to foot as she tried _not_ to think about it.

"Kate?" he asked, pulling back just enough to look down at her. "Oh… just … go in the corner," he urged.

Her nose wrinkled. "That's disgusting, and I'll freeze my butt off. It's not like I'm a guy and can just… you know."

"Kinda cold for us guys, too," he chided.

"I can wait," she insisted, refusing to go there, yet. Beyond the fact that it was unsanitary, she had no toilet paper or anything remotely close to appropriate substitute for that. Kate shivered again, trying to hold off the feeling that warm wasn't going to happen again, refusing to give into the constant stream of shivers that she knew could mean nothing good. Her fingers slipped from the cocoon of the sleeve and wrapped around his. "L.J., we have to get off the roof."

He swallowed and nodded, giving her hand a squeeze that was a little comforting. "Okay… No windows up here," he observed, and she was sure he had already run through dozens of possible routes out. Carefully, Gibbs pulled back from her embrace and zipped up his jacket around her body, giving her belly a light rub. "Sit tight."

"No!" Kate protested, hand catching his arm and stopping him. "I'm not staying behind." Her stomach clenched at the thought of being separated from him. Even if they were sure they weren't at risk up here, she felt the urge to be there with him, to cover him. Another shiver worked its way through her.

His lips pressed into a thin line, and his arm slid around her, pulling her against his side. "Okay… talk to me while we walk, okay?"

She nodded and sniffled, sleeve coming up to rub her nose, teeth chattering slightly. "I'm not going to have anything cooked and ready for tomorrow," she finally said.

His eyebrows lifted as he guided them toward the back of the structure they had been using for warmth, trying to keep them out of the wind. "_That's_ what you're worried about?"

"If I think about that, then… I don't… think about other things," she explained, swallowing at a fresh rush of emotions and refusing to dwell on thoughts of their baby and what this cold could mean.

"Okay," he quickly agreed, rubbing her back and continuing to pull her along as he moved toward a wall and thin ladder leading up to another level of the hospital, a tower that stood on the east corner. "And hey," his voice softened. "Ducky and Abby can help, too. Worst case, we'll have Thanksgiving a day later. You think Ducky's had time to brine the turkey with Abby on pins and needles and trying to find out what's going on?"

Her head shook and she swallowed hard. "Yeah… yeah, oh God… your father. We're not home, and he doesn't… there's gonna be no one there," she suddenly realized.

"He's got Duck's number," Gibbs reminded her gently. "C'mon."

Kate stopped at the bottom of the ladder and stared at its thin rails and the light shimmer covering the metal that looked slick. "I can't climb that."

He nodded toward the area where they had been taking shelter. "I know you don't like it, but I have to look. Wait here, you have a partial view. It might be our only option."

She shifted nervously, frowning as she moved back toward the lee of the building, eyes glued on him as he began to precarious climb. Halfway up, when his foot slipped once on a rung before finding purchase, she bit back her cry of fear. Swallowing hard, she began chanting a rosary and clung to hope.

If she could make wishes, she would wish right now that they were home. Home and in their bed, warm and skin to skin. And then sleeping. God, she could use a very long nap right about now. After a meal. _Don't think about it Caitlin._


	16. Chapter 16

_I never expected to have yet another chapter so soon, but the muse spoke. This will likely wrap up in a handful of chapters. I'm guessing 2-4? Eventually more will follow in the series…_

"Where's Kay-Kay?" Natalie asked as she tugged at Special Agent McGee's hand as he led them into another room.

"Who?" he asked, frowning down at her and releasing the mic at his wrist.

"Kate," Ziva clarified, giving Natalie's hair a gentle stroke and offering a reassuring smile. She gave her coworker a sharp look of reproach before letting the child take her hand and tug her toward a small sofa against a wall, carefully tucked in an alcove and safe from direct line of the window and door. "And she is working."

Natalie managed to get Ziva where she wished and then climbed up into the Israeli's lap and snuggled in.

The gesture caught the Mossad agent by surprise, and left her breathless at the little person making herself comfortable, totally trusting in her to keep her safe. It hadn't happened to Ziva in exactly sixteen years.

_In any other world, one might think it was a bad dream at best, earthquake at worst. In Israel, they all knew to well what it meant to wake to percussion blasts, the ear-piercing shrieks and the rumble of the walls around them._

_Ziva tucked herself in a ball and rolled to the floor, flattening herself and tugging on the shorts she'd been wearing the night before and stuffing her feet into the first pair of shoes her hands touched. Stay low, take cover, assess, she repeated the mantra drilled into her by years of conditioning by a Mossad-officer-father._

_She almost missed the yelp and whimpers one room over as another loud shrieking missile split the air outside and landed somewhere a few streets over._

_Lying on her belly, Ziva began the painstaking crawl across the hallway and into the room. "Tali? Talia?"_

_Her little sister was curled into a ball, right under her window, rocking back and forth with fright. Brown eyes were huge and glassy with fear._

"_Sssh, Neshama," she soothed, tugging her sister bodily away from the potential glass. She managed to haul her with her toward the corridor and smuggle both of them into a linen closet, pulling a thick coverlet over them as the thuds and shrieks continued to fall._

_It had been a mistake to think they could enjoy one night's sleepover on the outskirts of Gaza with their cousins. Their mother caved, giving into their begging, even though Ziva knew her father never would have allowed it. Eli David was out of the country, but Ziva knew this would never happen again. No trips to Gaza. Ever. Unless she was on a mission and armed._

"I want Kay-Kay and Abby," Natalie sniffled, fingers fisting into Ziva's blouse as she let herself be pulled against a shoulder. She was tough and upset, but still allowing herself to be comforted, and Ziva found hope in that. It was the ones who pushed away who were hardest to help.

Ziva's gaze fell on McGee, who shrugged helplessly as Lori Wright shifted indecisively, torn between wanting to be there for her dying child and knowing she was needed by the little one. "Ssh, _Neshama_," she murmured into the shell of an ear, letting her fingers run through silky soft tresses and refusing to think how much it felt like her little Tali. Natalie was the best of them.

A small hand pressed to Ziva's forehead. "You need a nap," Natalie decided.

"I am fi—"

"Fighting off a cold," Tony replied. He pulled a blanket from the end of the bed and tossed it so that it landed partly on Natalie. "McGee, stay here. I'll call to check in every fifteen."

NCIS * NCIS * NCIS * NCIS * NCIS

The cold metal practically burned his hands as Gibbs climbed up the thin ladder, scowling at the wind as though that might make it stop. This weather was not good news, and he needed to get his wife inside and soon. Waiting wasn't an option.

Halfway up, his foot slipped on a slick spot, making his knee bang against the metal and dragging out a sharp curse. He dragged himself up the remaining rungs and onto the next level, glancing down to give a reassuring nod to Kate below. At least he hoped it was reassuring.

She looked too small, huddled against the building and shivering already. He had enough basic first aid to recognize the chattering teeth and constant chills for what they were. Thank God that, once inside, care would be immediate.

Icy blue eyes raked over the sparse roof, and he crossed toward the wall and its lone door. Both hands closed on the handle, and he tugged. Nothing. The section below, where he was originally with Kate, had a low three foot wall surrounding the edge. This had maybe half a foot at the edge. He carefully moved toward it, watching for ice and slick spots as he peered down the multiple stories to where someone was scouting below. The black jacket and white letters F.B.I. had never looked to inviting. "Hey! Heeeeyyy! NCIS!" he called.

The agent below turned immediately, training his weapon up and making Gibbs raise his hands wide, palms flat.

"NCIS! Where's Fornell?" he called, the wind carrying his voice away.

The weapon stayed trained, and Gibbs froze, not particularly wanting this day to end with probing and removal of lead from his body. Abby would argue it's not lead, but it didn't matter. He had no plans to end the day with metal imbedded in his body. He'd gotten their attention, and it was enough to send someone up. "Kate," he called down.

"Y-yes?" came her thin, shaky voice.

"We have company coming up. I'll identify us, just don't shoot, okay?"

"I can't see you!" she protested, not liking it one bit.

"Trust me!" he called back. "Don't pull your weapon. It's almost over."


	17. Chapter 17

_Wow, extra long to make up for the long time between updates. I'm off to sleep away a head ache. I tried to edit this one more carefully, and it took several rounds of rewriting. Hopefully that means it's extra … something? Enjoy._

"Where's my boss," Tony growled into his phone as he hit the stairwell and began a quick descent. "C'mon, Fornell."

"Not my fault he dropped off the radar, DiNozzo," came the terse reply. "I'm up to my neck in it down here."

"Heidegger?" the senior field agent asked quickly, hoping to keep the agent on the line.

"Not yet. Isn't Gibbs keeping you busy?"

"That's the point, We're short two Gibbses," Tony spat back, turning the corner on a stairwell and grimacing at the burn in his bad knee as he took the next flight, feeling the exertion as his breath shortened.

"What the hell am I supposed to do about that?" Fornell answered. "You keep your people locked down. I'm sending two agents up to the roof, and we don't need to waste time getting in each other's way."

"I'm not getting in their way, I'm looking for Gibbs," he growled back.

"What d'ya think I stuffed him in a closet somewhere? Stay out of the way," he huffed, ending the call with a click and a beep and sudden silence in the NCIS agent's ear.

With a grunted curse, Tony ended the call and freed his weapon. It felt good to have it in his hand, safer. They shouldn't even be here, shouldn't even be on this case. It wasn't their jurisdiction. Wright wasn't Navy, Marine, or any other armed service, and it was the day before Thanksgiving. He couldn't remember a time when he _didn't_ work during this holiday. He hadn't even tried to make plans for traveling to the casino this year. It was pointless.

On the next landing, he heard the door below creak open and a double set of footfalls from below. Feds from Fornell. The corner of Tony's mouth twitched before turning up into a smile. He made a precise ninety degree turn to face the next set of steps and began a leisurely jaunt down, whistling _Some Enchanted Evening_ as he descended.

"Federal Agents, freeze!" a voice almost instantly echoed off of the concrete walls and to Tony.

"Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, NCIS," he shouted back, still continuing his stroll. "That's NCIS, not CSI. Not CDIS. And definitely not NSA. Hey, maybe you've seen my boss—Leroy Jethro Gibbs. About six feet, gray hair, high and tight, kinda built, steely cool gaze, looks like he stepped out of a Sear catalogue circa 1980?"

"_Freeze, Federal Agents_," repeated the voice, punctuated by running steps coming closer and closer. "Or you're gonna be looking like you stepped into bright orange or worse, circa Gitmo!"

"Been there, not my style," Tony grumbled under his breath. He fished out his ID and went ahead and stowed his gun. As irritating as this encounter was going to be, he didn't want to explain to his boss how two pissy feds used him for target practice.

By the time they rounded the last set up steps separating them, Tony was casually leaning against the door to floor four and was holding out his credentials, golden shield shining. "Agent DiNozzo, you're Fornell's feds, and now that we're all on the same team, let me pass."

"Check it," one agent nodded to the other, still covering Tony with his weapon.

With a huff of irritation, Tony held still while they examined his credentials and finally lowered their weapons.

"We should arrest you for interfering in federal business," one of the agents clipped as he brushed past the senior field agent.

"Sorry, Fornell hasn't taught me the secret handshake, yet," Tony snarled. "And by the way, we have floor six locked down. So if you go up there, I'm gonna really mad if you shoot my probie or my ninja."

"We're going to the roof, and you can go home," the other agent answered as they started a brisk climb upward.

Tony turned, watching them ascend. "The roof? Stairwell was locked down about an hour ago. No one's been up since."

"Well someone got _out_."

He picked up the pace, falling in stride with the other men. "Someone's on the roof?"

"No, we just like going out on below-freezing sleet."

"So much for the same team," Tony scoffed, inwardly scowling at the dismal weather that had apparently started up again. "Description?"

"Some guy, what is this? You want to play fed, sign up and do it right. No my fault you picked NCIS instead. You're not in flak gear. Stay back or don't sue us if you end up shot to pieces."

Tony tried not to let them see his grimace. They were right, and Gibbs would have his hide if he knew. Thankfully, his boss wasn't here. While he wanted to find their leader, he knew if it was something that could compromise the Wrights' safety, he needed to know. Flipping out his phone, he hit the second speed dial. "Hey, I'm going up to the roof with two of Fornell's boys. Someone's up there. Keep it in lock down, and don't hesitate to use force to keep them safe."

He hung up before Ziva could say anything and sucked it up to make the last set of steps at a quicker pace. Hospitals with their ten foot stories meant steeper and long flights than usual. His hand reached into his jacket, fingers sliding around the comfort of the Sig's grip. He pulled it cleanly, and racked it.

One agent's hand lifted in a silent count. 3. 2. 1. He twisted the knob and shouldered it open. "Federal agents, free—"

"Special A—"

"Gibbs!" Tony exclaimed, overriding both the agent and his boss. "Put down your weapons; that's my boss, Agent Gibbs," he rushed forward, quickly easing his gun and holstering it. "God, are you insane? It's freezing and sleeting—"

"Get a nurse," his boss pushed past him going toward the edge of the building to the top of a build on ladder. "Kate and I were locked out," he answered, shivering violently and barely slowing down long enough to let Tony shrug off his own jacket and offer it. "Go! Get a nurse!" He tugged the jacket on quickly and started down the steps. "Kate? Kate, we got help, I'm coming down!"

His fingers were flying on his phone before Gibbs could even finish the sentence.

NCIS * NCIS * NCIS * NCIS * NCIS

It was the soft knock that let him know whoever was entering was a friend. Gibbs shifted slightly so that he could better see the door that was slowly opening, careful not to wake Kate who was curled half on top of him. His gaze flickered to her wrist for the umpteenth time, checking the IV inserted there, the one that was delivering a steady stream of warm fluids to her body.

"Jethro?" the warm voice asked, pitched low and soothing, scent of coffee wafting in.

"C'mon in, Duck," he replied, carefully smoothing the warmed blanket draped over Kate's gown-encased shoulder and lightly rubbing his thumb against the spot.

The elderly M.E. silently closed the door behind him and moved toward the bed, bag in hand. "It's time to check on Caitlin, and I convinced the medical staff it might go easier on her if she had a familiar face."

Gibbs swallowed and nodded. "Thanks, yeah. It's been pretty rough." The words almost stuck in his throat, and he left it at that.

_The wind was picking up, sleeting starting to fall faster and soaking both of them. He pulled her out of the lee of the building and from the meager overhang that hadn't done much. "C'mon, Katie. Help's here." He'd never been so glad to see Feds._

"_I c-c-can't," she protested, shivering violently, the shivering non-stop for a long time now. Her face, pale from the cold, when almost ashen when she realized again how close it was to the edge of the building. "W-we need to go ins-s-s-side," she managed around chattering teeth._

"_Ssssh, I've got you," he murmured, pulling her gently toward the ladder and making sure he was between her and the edge. His fingers were stiff and felt half-frozen, and he reminded himself if he made it through Russia, he could make it through this. They had help, he only needed to get her up the ladder. "Talk to me," he ordered firmly, placing her sleeve-encased hand around the first rung and praying it didn't make it more slippery._

"_I can't-t-t," her head shook hard, and she trembled from head to toe. "D-d-don't… They're up th-there…I…"_

"_I've got you," he promised, waving back the agent peering over the edge. The last thing they needed was an audience. "One rung at a time, you're not going anywhere but up and inside. C'mon, Kate, what are we naming this kid? And not Leroy or Jethro." He stepped behind her, pressing close and nudging her forward and slightly up._

_As she struggled for the first step, he reached around her, caging her in as safely as he could. "Eyes at the top. Give me a name."_

"_D-d-unno," she protested, though she weakly started to grab at the rungs._

"_There ya go," he murmured, mouth close to her ear and using his hand to pry one of hers off a rung and up to the next. "Talk to me. Names."_

"_A-ann? Or something Ann. For a girl."_

"_Yeah, that could be good." It did sound good, although he wasn't going to admit he would agree to something like Agnes or Bertha or one of those weird newer names where no one knew if the kid was a boy or girl or what, so long as it kept Kate with it enough to get up to help. "Boy names?"_

_She took another rung, hugging it like it was the secret to life as he tried to make his fingers wrap securely enough to tug them up another few inches. "I d-d-d-unno… want a b-b-oy with your initials-s-s."_

"_No Leroy Jethro," he held staunchly, sort of wishing she had the spunk to fight him on this._

"_Can't think… of… L n-names," Kate ground out, making it up another rung. "J-jackson?"_

"_Good middle name," he agreed. "You're good, just a few more rungs—No, don't look this way," he warned, body shifting slightly to block her view of the nasty sky and to block some of the stinging bits of sleet falling steadily._

"Jethro?"

"Yeah, Duck?" Gibbs shook himself enough to push aside the God-awful memory. He saw the coffee cup being offered and took it, flinching slightly at the heat from the cup against his hand.

"May I?" his colleague asked, indicating Gibbs's other hand.

Gibbs lifted it, offering it up for inspection. Once they made it up the side of the building, DiNozzo had stepped in. He argued that he had her, but his senior field agent had ignored him, scooping up Kate and hurrying her inside and down to the floor below. "Still a little cold, but better."

"Hmmm," Ducky hummed, peering close and nodding slightly. "Touch of frost bite on the mend there."

Gibbs nodded and managed to set the cup on the rolling side table that a nurse had left within reach, two glasses of water resting on it. "Yeah… you got another warm blanket for her?" They had both been swathed in heated blankets throughout the first half hour—an exhausting ordeal that had Kate past her edge and him all but fighting treatment to stay in the same room as her.

"Maybe in a bit. Is she still chilled?" he asked with concern, cautiously lowering the bed rail and perching on a bit of the mattress beside his patient. "Kate, dear?"

"Mmmmm," she grumbled, burying her head against her husband's shoulder.

Ducky reached out carefully, running his hand across her shoulder blades. "I need to take your temperature and a few other things."

"Got one of those ear things?" Gibbs asked, remembering the nurse who had threatened him a rectal thermometer earlier if he didn't let her see his hands. God, he'd been glad that Kate had kept hers wrapped around herself, encased in the sleeves of his jacket and tucked under her arms for warmth.

"I supposed pediatrics would lend one to me, but I'd rather try the old-fashioned oral thermometer. Kate, please turn this way and open your mouth."

Gibbs ran his hand through her hair, massaging it lightly and reaching for the bed controls. He maneuvered the mattress up a bit and slid one careful arm under her, the other sliding along her IV-ed arm and gently lifting it clear so it wouldn't jostle. "Watch her arm here."

"Tired," she sighed against him, one eye finally cracking and blinking slowly before both eyes opened a little. "Hey, Ducky."

"Hello," the Scot greeted warmly. "Got yourself in a bit of a scrape, I see."

"Yeah," she murmured. "Things are… they said everything's gonna be okay… It's… right?"

"You're both on the mend, though it will take a bit to bounce back from his," he assured, giving her cheek a fatherly caress. "Your medical troupe was about to descend, and I talked them into letting me see to this round. If that meets your approval, of course."

She nodded, glancing up at Gibbs, who nodded as well. "We'd trust you with anything, Ducky. Rather just let you handle all the medical stuff."

"Emergency technician, OBGYN, and such I am not. But a check up, that's just the ticket. Are you still cold?" he asked, palm resting against her forehead to feel generally for fever.

"Only when I think about being stuck out there," she replied, shivering in reflex from the memory. "The warm blankets are nice." She glanced to the line in her wrist. "Can this come out?"

"We'll hold off on another blanket for a bit—don't want you too warm, or you'll overcook the little _bun in the oven_ as Tony so fondly referred to it. And the IV will come out later, once they're sure you've replaced enough fluids."

Her nose wrinkled a little at the thought of having to keep it in, but she opened for the thermometer and relaxed against her husband while their friend checked her heart rate and listened to her chest while she took some slow breaths. It was followed by blood a blood pressure reading while he assured her that he had reviewed her sonogram from earlier and the heart rate and movement was spot on.

"Improved," Ducky murmured after jotting down his assessments on her chart. "I took the liberty of bringing up a menu, if you'd like to jot down what looks good for a late lunch. "

Gibbs felt her sigh against him, and was already unconsciously adjusting her blankets when she asked the question he had been expecting.

"Nat and Angie?"

"McGee and Ziva are with them," Gibbs assured. "Feds are on Heidegger, and Tony's got our door." He pressed a kiss into her hair and rubbed her upper arm in comfort. DiNozzo had dropped in earlier to check in, and Tony had simply accepted it when he said to let Heidegger go, to let him be the Fed's problem. His team was keeping Nat, Angie, and Lori safe. His priority was to be right here with Kate.

"Want a stiff drink," she huffed, yawning hugely.

"Gonna have to wait months for that one," he answered, a small smile in his voice, despite the fact that he still had lingering concerns about her.

"Want a shower, too," she murmured, yielding when he guided her against him, still mindful of her wrist when she was too tired to notice.

"Later today, Kate," Ducky answered this one. "Your body temperature needs to stay nice and steady before we let you steam clean." He gave her cheek a gentle caress and stood, collecting his things. "I'm recommending that she be left to sleep until she wakes on her own. And then get a good meal in her, and she'll be right as rain."

"Thanks, Duck," Gibbs nodded, realizing his wife was already drifting again. "Headed back to the Yard?"

"No, the Director has closed up for the holiday and sent home all non-essential personnel. Jenny wanted you to know she's keeping your team off rotation until this business is wrapped up. Your father's settled in, and he'll stop by later today, mostly around supper time."

"Thanks," Gibbs repeated, suddenly feeling tired at the thought of everything else going on. "Look, about Thanksgiving—"

Ducky held up a soft but cautionary hand. "Abby, your father, and I have consulted, and we've agreed it's best to put off the big meal for a day or two until things settle. I coerced Ziva into managing two cups of soup, and then tucked a half cup into Miss Natalie with her lingering sniffle. Timothy could use a good rest himself. We'll send everyone home to rest, and Abby, Jack and I will bring over a small turkey and some modest fixings so the holiday isn't completely overlooked. We can celebrate properly later."

Gibbs nodded to this, knowing it was a good plan but also making another realization. "She's not going to be excited about this," he murmured, indicating the woman curled against him. Kate had a surprising traditional streak in her. She had talked about this particular holiday, Thanksgiving with its focus on coming together and without the distractions of presents and shopping of Christmas, and how much she was looking forward to celebrating as their family, as a team, before things changed with their new addition in the spring.

"No," Ducky agreed, "She won't." He paused a moment, looked intently at his friend and offered a sympathetic smile. "But both she and that little one are very resilient. We'll have our feast, and enjoy our blessings. In the meantime, Caitlin has you to look after her." He lifted his hat from the bedside table and placed it squarely on his head. "And don't forget to look after yourself. Get some sleep, Jethro."


	18. Chapter 18

_Apologies on this one… hard chapter to get right, and I'm still not satisfied with it but out of ideas and this seems to work, even though I'm being picky about it. Enjoy._

"You're glowing, Kate, dear," Ducky lightly chided as he side-stepped her in the kitchen and hit the button for the oven light to check the turkey's progress.

She laughed and finished chopping the last of the potatoes to go in the pot before her. "Well, that's probably because I'm a _young tart_ here to tempt away sweet Donald," she teased, sliding carefully from her stool and crossing to the sink to rinse the knife.

"I am sorry for mother's words," the M.E. answered, chastened by the reply.

"Well, my husband was amused," she tossed back wryly. "And it gave me an excuse to elbow Tony … Besides, she's your mother. She's family. We love Victoria, despite all her… quirks."

He shook his head as he scrutinized the turkey steadily cooking away in the oven. "Yes, well, mother pushes the limits of _eccentric. _And don't think I missed the fact that you are trying to misdirect me." As she resumed her perch on the stool, he returned to the island in the kitchen where she turned her attention to a lump of bread dough. "How are you, Caitlin?"

Kate sprinkled the counter with just enough flour to keep it from sticking and lifted the dough. She took her time, rolling it steadily. "I'm fine. Honestly." When he came to stand across from her, she pressed out the dough and turned slightly to roll across lengthwise. "I spent two days at home sleeping and eating turkey roll, and another trying to convince Gibbs that I was fine."

"And caring for Miss Natalie," he reminded her gently. "It couldn't have been easy."

_She almost missed the soft knock on her door, and one that repeated and convinced her to finally untangle from the, frankly, cozy nest she had made when she relented and indulged in an afternoon nap. Kate pushed herself up a bit, reaching over and fumbling a moment before turning on the bedside lamp and adjusting the hoodie she was wearing. "Come in."_

_The doorknob turned slowly, and Kate caught a glimpse of an adult's arm opening the door while Natalie ducked under the arm and stepped forward carefully. She peeked in, holding out a small plate with a brownie and a fork. "Hi," she whispered._

"_Hey," Kate smiled, pushing herself up against the headboard and tugging the pillows up to make room. "Come on up here."_

_Natalie bit her bottom lip, rich brown eyes staring at her solemnly as she crossed the distance to the bed and let Kate take the plate before she attempted to climb up. It took a good try or two before she made it up. She guided the little girl to her side, tucking her in beside her. "That's a lot of brownie… I'm not sure I can eat all of it." Lie. Blatant lie. Kate could down it in fifteen seconds flat. But she could always sneak a second one later. Hell, she could text L.J., and he would bring it up himself if she asked._

"_Gramma and I made it," she said shyly. "It's good. I tasted the bead… the beat… thingies."_

"_Beaters?" Kate asked gently._

_The dark head nodded, and Natalie glanced down at Kate's stomach, scrutinizing it. One small hand reached out tentatively to touch the curve, and Kate carefully shifted, curious to see what was going to happen._

"_Kay-kay?" Natalie queried, her hand resting light as a feather._

"_Yeah, Nat?"_

"_L.J. said you got a baby?"_

_A smile slowly spread across Kate's face, that same dumb grin that his name always seemed to bring to her. "Yeah, sweet girl. L.J. and I have a baby, and it's in my tummy until it's done growing and can grow up and be big."_

"_Oh," the little girl breathed almost reverently. Her hand pressed ever so slightly closer, and Kate guided it over the swell. For several moments, the agent watched as Natalie's hand rubbed softly, finally shifting so that her ear pressed against Kate's belly. Quiet settled in the room, and still she waited for a reaction._

_It took a while before Natalie pushed herself up again, eyes big. "I felted it move."_

_She smiled softly at this. Kate had yet to feel the baby move, and it was something that bothered her more and more these days. All of her books said she should start feeling movement any day now. Only the video from the ultrasound before she was released the other day had kept her from panic over this. And a few stern self-lectures about how she was being such a paranoid first time mom. But it still bothered her. "You did, huh?"_

_Natalie's nod was so serious that Kate went with it. "Yeah… Kay-kay?"_

"_Hmm?" she asked started to pull out the brownie again, ready to have a snack, even if it meant sharing. She never expected the question coming, although later she realized that she should have._

"_Are you going to take care of the baby always?"_

"Kate?"

She shook herself slightly, the concern in Ducky's voice bringing her back to the present as she realized her cheeks were wet with tears. A handkerchief was pressed into her hand, and she thanked him softly, dabbing at her eyes. "I'm okay… I'm… I'm everything right now," she sniffled and swallowed hard. "God, I'm sorry, I got flour all over this—"

"Hush, you don't owe me apologies," Ducky tenderly chided. He stepped forward now, pulling her into a gentle hug and rubbing her back when she relaxed into it, taking slow shaky breaths.

She swallowed hard and dabbed her nose. "We thought… we thought we were okay, Ducky," she whispered. "He woke me up the other night. He had a nightmare, and he didn't say it, but I know what it was about. We should be so happy, and we are, but we're both… God, we're both terrified."

Ducky pressed a soft kiss to her brow. "I promise you, the baby is perfect. Good weight, good movement, the heartbeat was beautiful, Kate, and I would be concerned if neither of you had any fears going into this. He's been through tragic loss, and you've both faced death many times over."

"I… I don't know what I'm doing with Natalie," she confessed. "And we're been so busy. We… I don't… We can't just walk away from her, but I haven't had much time with L.J. lately. Our jobs are crazy, but we made it work, and right now…"

"You're worried you're drifting apart," he summed it up neatly, and the words seemed terribly simple.

The dark head nodded, and she rubbed hard at her eyes, swiping away the moisture gathered underneath them. "God, I'm a hot mess," she sniffled. "I'm not going out any more. No more crime scenes, at least not until after I have the baby."

"Glad you finally came around on that," came a deep voice from the doorway.

Gibbs was leaning against the frame, pushing himself forward when Kate turned at his voice. He crossed the kitchen, sliding up behind her as his hand went automatically to her lower back, fingers kneading the spots where muscles always knotted the worst. "You're damn good at your job, Kate, but crime scenes _and_ protection detail—"

"Protecting this comes first," she agreed, hand rubbing over her belly. Her mouth opened to speak, and she froze, eyes widening.

"Caitlin?" Ducky asked, glancing to Gibbs and stepping closer.

Gibbs turned her gently, leaning in close. "Katie?"

Soft eyes lifted, emotions welling. "I… it… I _felt_ it," she breathed, pulling his hand to her baby bump, only later realizing he wouldn't feel anything yet. "I finally felt it."

His thumb brushed reverently against her before his arms wrapped around her and he pulled her as close as he could without squeezing. "When this is over, we're going to take a weekend. Just us."

"I want to go away—with you," she quickly added, holding tight and resting her head against his shoulder. "Mexico. I want to get away, and see Mike. And I really want this time with you… and I don't know, I want to be with dad and everyone for Christmas—"

"Indiana?" he asked, confused.

"No, dad. I mean, _your_ dad. With Jack. And our family here. I mean, we should see my family, too, but I want us."

"Us and Mike," he rebutted lightly, smirking at Ducky when she gave his shoulder a light swat.

"Emotional hormonal woman carrying your child here," she grumbled, poking his side when he chuckled and rubbed her back. "He can visit his _senorita _for a few days."

"Okay," he agreed.

"Gibbs, I mean it. We need—" she continued, pulling back slightly and looking up at him in confusion. "Wait.. what?"

"We need it. We're going," he explained, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "You. Me. Mexico. We'll go for New Years. I have vacation time, we're taking it." He ducked down, leaning in for a long, slow kiss.

"Hey, Ducky, McBrown-nose wants to know if you and Kate need any help. I told him it would insult your capabilities and Kate's feminism, but he—oh God," Tony stopped short physically and verbally, and Kate let herself drift more fully in her moment with her husband.

"Come on, dear boy," Ducky skirted the enamored couple and nudged the senior field agent toward the hall. "Jethro and Kate have dinner rolls to finish."

Tony gave a little cough, shaking his head. "I'm not that hungry. Is that sanitary? I mean, they already have a bun in—"

He moved quickly, edging backward and skillfully guiding Kate so their kiss wasn't broken. Lips pressed firmer for a half moment before Gibbs pulled back. In unison, each reached up and delivered a swift slap to the head. "Your mind might be in the gutter, but unless your next career plan is Ducky's compost dealer, keep your mouth out of it."

"Going, boss," Tony quickly answered, rubbing his head and attempting to fix his hair as he ducked out.

_One more chapter to go…_


End file.
